These brilliant, mouthwatering apples are from Moretz Mountain Orchard and Farms in Boone, NC, a third-generation family farm founded in 1933 that grows over a hundred varieties of apples— both heirloom and moderns.
You can find all your fall favorites at the Watauga County Farmers' Market, open through the end of November (see Regional Happenings in this issue for more details).
Randolph... 81
Birding with Paul Laurent... 85 Blue Ridge Parkway News... 89
Fishing with Andrew Corpening... 91
Trail Reports by CML Staff... 94
Hardy on History with Michael C. Hardy... 103
Tidbits... 109 Community and Local Business News 112 Ounce of Prevention with Mike Teague... 117
Wisdom and Ways with Jim Casada... 119
Wine with Kim S. Davis... 121
Recipes from the CML Kitchen with Meagan Goheen... 126
Contributors
Trimella Chaney, Andrew Corpening, Kim S. Davis
Jenny Fitzpatrick, Brennan Ford, Morgan Ford
Sharon Glatthorn, Gail Greco, Becky Griffin
Bob Griffin, Elizabeth Baird Hardy
Michael C. Hardy, Annie Hoskins, Rita Larkin
Paul Laurent, Tom McAuliffe, Rocky Parriott
Rylee Parsons, Karen Rieley, Landis Taylor
Mike Teague, Emily Webb, Doug Winbon and Steve York.
From Babette McAuliffe
As I reflect on this autumn season, I am reminded of how much my mom, Mary Munn, loved fall.
“Babs, I absolutely love watching the changing of the leaves and how each one drifts down to the earth. Do you remember how you and your brother would pile up the leaves and jump ‘til your hearts content?”
Mom couldn’t wait to watch football and of course cheer on her favorite teams, App State and the Tarheels. She reveled in the changing seasons and was a bit cold-natured, so she welcomed the warmth and light our woodstove provided as she sat nearby enjoying a steaming mug of coffee and her favorite pastry. On warm fall days, Mom would bundle up in her much loved Mast Store sweatshirt and sit outside in her rocking chair to enjoy the fall colors—the mums and pumpkins set around the porch—and, with her eagle eyes, watch as leaves tumbled to the ground.
This year, as I see the trees turn their brilliant colors and drop to the earth below, only to be renewed again in spring, I will be reminded of Mom’s bright, colorful personality to the very end at 88 years old. I knew before her passing in July that she, too, would be renewed. She was surrounded by family, friends, and the amazing support, care, and love of the entire staff of Life Care Center in Banner Elk and, in her final weeks, she received hospice care from the incredible team at AMOREM. I cannot say enough words of praise and gratitude for these amazing folks and organizations.
Mom taught me more in her final days than I can even express. Even when she couldn’t walk, she loved my little dance and song routines and delighted in our conversations. She had a hearty laugh that was contagious. “Remember when?” We loved telling old stories from the past about our silly antics.
“Babs, what is that bird on the feeder?” I looked in the Audubon book and found our little visitor, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. In the process of flipping through that amazing guide, I was reminded of the importance of knowing each bird’s name and enjoying its beauty.
Mom taught me to see deeply into everything around me. She noticed the loving hugs and smiles of the nurses and CNAs at Life Care and would talk about how their cheerful spirit uplifted her day. She would comment on the American flag flying so proudly outside the facility and remark on our freedom and the sacrifices made by so many—as reflected in Dad’s military service.
Mom was appreciative of every gift, of every day she lived. She had a way to make even dire situations look like a silver lining had just popped into view. Mom was a woman of strong faith, gregarious, positive, and cheerful, encouraging me every step of the way in creating CML Magazine 26 years ago. She defined perseverance, mixed with a dose of laughter and levity. Mom knew how to have fun, no matter the season of life.
The change of seasons reminds us that beauty lives on. Mom’s way of always seeing the best in every situation, and in everyone she met, inspires me to emulate that characteristic.
So, with this colorful season upon us as we peer toward winter, I will be reminded of Mom and her infectious, loving spirit—and of spring’s renewal. With deep gratitude,
Mike has always considered himself blessed to have been born, and have spent all of his life, in the N.C. High Country. Early in life, Mike served as a volunteer firefighter with the Boone Fire Department. After graduating from Appalachian State University, Mike’s love for the fire service became a guiding force. He started his career as the Avery County Fire Marshal where he served in the late 1980s. For the past 34 years, Mike has worked for the Boone Fire Department in many different roles; he currently serves as the department’s Assistant Chief. During his free time, Mike can be found enjoying the High Country through cycling, snow skiing or playing on one of our lakes.
A resident of the High Country for decades, Trimella is a native of WinstonSalem. Her unique name came from her great-grandmother, an early Old Salem resident. Along with a love of history, Trimella has a passion for education, particularly Theatre Education. After receiving degrees from Appalachian State University, she built an expansive teaching career—she also began the celebrated Watauga High School Theatre Department. As a longtime member of the Blue Ridge Community Theatre, she continues to write and direct local productions, including the 2022 production of HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOONE! to celebrate the town’s 150th anniversary. She currently teaches in the Theatre and Dance Department of Appalachian State University. Trimella and her husband have two sons, two daughters-in-law, two grandsons, and one granddaughter (another Trimella!).
Sharon has been a photographer for over 40 years, specializing in travel and nature photography. She and her husband traveled around North America for 28 years in an RV and concluded their travels here in the High Country. In recent years, she worked at one of the most photogenic locations in the area, Grandfather Mountain. Other accomplishments have included a canvas in a senator’s office in Raleigh, awardwinning shots in Ray’s Weather calendar, and numerous magazine covers, including CML (Winter 2017-2018). One of her most recent assignments was shooting the “Draft Horse Pull” in Newland in early September. “This was my third year—it’s quite the event!” You can view Sharon’s work on pages76 and 77, and at creativephotosplus.com. You’ll also find an assortment of her canvases and cards at BE Artists Gallery in Banner Elk.
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There’s just something about autumn in the High Country that enlivens the senses like almost no other season. The fresh, crisp air, the wild splash of colors sweeping across endless mountain ranges, those dramatic amber sunsets, and the trace of evening’s frost lingering after dawn upon the face of graceful meadows. It’s a sharp awakening to mark a clear transitioning from summer’s gentility to autumn’s glory.
Sweaters and people come out en masse for that last communal “hurrah” before winter chases us back inside for much of the next few months.
And nothing proclaims autumn’s last “hurrah” like our long tradition of harvest fall festivals running from late September into late October. To help you plan your seasonal celebrations, here’s a sample of what’s happening.
A major event dating all the way back to 1978 is the Annual Brushy Mountain Apple Festival, taking place 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 7. This celebration is heralded as one of the largest one-day arts and crafts festivals in the entire Southeast,
attracting over 100,000 attendees each year and drawing people from all across North Carolina and beyond. This is an event designed for the entire family with plenty of fun activities for the kids and is completely free to the public. It’s owned and operated by the Brushy Mountain Ruritan Club and is the organization’s largest charitable fundraiser, not to mention one of the biggest festivals in Wilkes County.
The downtown streets of North Wilkesboro are literally filled with more than 425 Appalachian heritage arts and crafts exhibitors, 100 food concessions, plus four different music stages featuring everything from Bluegrass to Country, Gospel, Folk, cloggers, square dancers and more. Dulcimer music can be heard everywhere as you stroll up and down the streets, sample food stands and watch artisans showing off their woodcarvings, chair crafting, soap making, pottery throwing and quilting.
Of course the festival’s namesake is “Apples.” And that’s the theme which gives tribute each fall to all the apple orchardists across northwestern North Carolina. You’ll find every type and color of apples, cratedup and on display for your choosing. And every type of apple sauce, butter and pie is also there to enjoy.
Appropriately, festival early-birders can arrive Friday night starting at 6 p.m. for the live “Apple Jam” entertainment at the Brushy Mountain Ruritan Club’s Apple Festival Park on the corner of 10th street and Main in downtown North Wilkesboro. Applefestival.net
Sugar Mountain Resort’s Oktoberfest, October 7 & 8 | Sugar Mountain, NC
Headed “up the mountain” (as is common-speak) you’ll come upon this year’s 33rd annual Sugar Mountain Oktoberfest. Fashioned directly after the true spirit of its 200-year-old German festival tradition, Sugar Mountain’s family-friendly version carries much of the same European trappings of its namesake.
Although not required, many folks flock to the mountain dressed in their best Bavarian style. Men are typically attired in their bibbed Lederhosen, high stockings and Alpine hats, while the women wear their colorful dirndl blouses, dresses, aprons and draping waist bows with ribbon-tied “Heidi hair” braids and pigtails. (Note: There are Lederhosen trousers for women too…but they’re a bit sassier.)
The two-day event runs from 10 a.m. to
5 p.m. both days. Summit Express Chairlift Rides, Arts and Crafts exhibits, and the Sports Shop operation follow that same schedule. The official Oktoberfest opening ceremony is at 11 a.m. on Saturday and the Kids Fun Center at the Play Yard is open from 11 a.m. to closing both days. The Harbour Towne Fest Band performs from noon until 4 p.m. Saturday, followed immediately by the Bavarian Costume Contest on the dance floor. Sunday sees the Avery Cloggers at 2 p.m. and the Harbour Towne Fest Band back again from noon to 4 p.m. And throughout the weekend, there’s plenty of authentic Bavarian food and drink along with typical American cuisine like burgers, soft drinks and kettle corn.
This authentic German heritage festival runs rain, shine or—as can happen during October in these mountains—even snow. Admission, parking and shuttle bus rides up to Sugar Mountain Resort are all free. So, pull your Lederhosen trousers and dirndl dresses out of the closet, practice swinging your beer stein without spilling, and get ready to channel your best Bavarian yodel. oktoberfest.skisugar.com or call 828-898-4521
Just about 45 minutes from Sugar Mountain down Hwy 221 South is the foothills town of Marion, which celebrates its 40th annual Mountain Glory Festival on Saturday, October 14, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In celebration of the coming of autumn, Marion promises this year’s event to be even bigger and better than ever. Taking over the three-block Main Street hub of downtown, this free festival is sponsored by the City of Marion.
Over 150 booths featuring locally made arts and crafts, festival foods and nonprofit groups line the streets, with two big music stages for continuous live musical entertainment of all kinds throughout the day. A signature event is their Mountain Glory Quilt Show which is held inside the McDowell Arts Council building on Main Street; here you’ll see a grand display of handmade quilts from around the region. And special this year is their “Kids’ Korner” section with hands-on activities, local entertainment plus the ever-popular Best Dressed Pet contest, which is open to anyone.
Visitors are also welcome to shop all the downtown stores and restaurants as well while taking in the festival activities.
And everyone is encouraged to keep an eye open for the Official Marion Bigfoot sighting. The event also features its 26th annual Mountain Glory Challenge 5K foot race coordinated by the McDowell County Parks and Recreation Department for people of all ages.
Free shuttle services will run from nearby Rose’s parking lot, located at 600 North Main Street, to the festival site every half hour. And Handicap Parking will be available behind State Farm Insurance, located at 70 North Main Street. It’s a big celebration of autumn and small town living in downtown Marion and is an ideal event for the whole family. mtngloryfestival.com
Valle Crucis, NC
One of the most beautiful settings for any harvest season festival is the pastoral community of Valle Crucis on Hwy 194 between Boone and Banner Elk. Sponsored by the Holy Cross Episcopal Church and in its 45th year, the Valle Country Fair is held in cooperation with, and located near, the Valle Crucis Conference Center on scenic Hwy 194.
You’ll find 150 jury-selected artisans offering handmade creations including
everything from antler art to apparel, baskets, birdhouses, books, candles, folk art, furniture, glass, handbags, jewelry, leather goods, paintings, photography, pottery, quilts, sculpture, soaps, weavings, toys, wood creations, yard art and much more.
Food booths offer favorites including barbeque, Brunswick stew, homemade chili, sausages with peppers and onions, and other savory items. Homemade baked treats include cookies, cakes, pies, candies plus the fair’s famous homemade jellies, jams, relishes and pickles canned by the official “Jelly Ladies.”
Behind the red barn you’ll discover apples being squeezed into apple cider from an authentic 1940-era press. And no fall festival would be complete without slow-cooked apple butter brewed up by the official “Apple Butter Boys.” They’re set up by the sorghum patch and stirring up their thick, sweet, cinnamon-rich delight cooking over an open fire in huge copper kettles.
Local Bluegrass, Gospel and Country musicians perform on the main stage and a second stage features cloggers and magicians, while the Kids Activity Area offers games, face painting, plus arts and crafts projects. And, always special, is the appearance of live alpacas from nearby Apple
Hill Farm, plus horses from Spirit Ride Therapeutic Riding Center.
With a theme of “Community Supporting Community,” fair proceeds help raise funds to support 10 local charities while providing emergency funds for local families facing unexpected needs. Pets are not allowed; admission is free and ample parking is available at $10 per car. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. vallecountryfair.org
Woolly Worm Festival, October 21 & 22 Banner Elk, NC
Celebrating 46 years, the Woolly Worm Festival is another huge attraction for seasonal festival goers and fall leaf lookers. Typically during peak leaf-changing season, Woolly Worm brings an estimated 20,000 people each year to the grounds of the Historic Banner Elk Elementary School in downtown Banner Elk.
Co-hosted by the Avery County Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk, this family-oriented festival features over 160 food, arts and crafts vendors set across the school grounds, along with rides for the kids, face painting, live musicians, line dancing and much more. It’s a giant fall celebration set in the laps of surrounding Grandfather Mountain, Beech Mountain and Sugar
Mountain. And it’s non-stop fun from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
But what makes this festival most unique is its star attraction, the locally famous “seer of seers, prognosticator of prognosticators,” our very own woolly worm, a.k.a. the indigenous Isabella Tiger Moth caterpillar. Recognized by its fuzzy black and orange striped body segments, the critter’s arrangement of colors has historically been shown to predict the severity of winter snows.
And the highlight of this festival features up to 1,000 woolly worms in a series of races where they crawl up a set of strings. Sponsoring participants bring their fastest caterpillar to compete in these races. Saturday’s winner is crowned official predictor of this winter’s snows and its sponsor receives a $1,000 prize. Sunday’s winner isn’t crowned weather predictor, but does earn its sponsor a $500 prize. Race registration begins at 9 a.m. and fills up quickly.
Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6 to 12, and free for 5 and younger. Pets are not allowed. All proceeds help fund community schools, children’s programs and support for Avery County business and tourism. woollyworm.com, averycounty.com
Carolina in the Fall Music & Food Festival
September 22-23 | Historic Downtown Wilkesboro, NC
Features the Kruger Brothers as host band plus 30 different music performances, lots of food trucks, fall harvest stands, beer station and the Annual Chad Lovette Memorial Run to benefit the American Cancer society. It’s all sponsored by Window World and held in the Carolina West Wireless Community Commons, Friday, 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m. and Saturday, noon-11 p.m. carolinainthefall.org
Art on the Mountain, September 23 | West Jefferson, NC
The Ashe County Arts Council sponsors this event with over twenty-five artists and craft persons featuring their creative wares on the grounds of the Ashe Arts Center in West Jef ferson. You can find holiday gift ideas, fall theme items, unique art pieces, crafts and more. Several artists will also be demonstrating their artwork including basket weaving, quilting and woodworking. The event runs 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and includes live music! ashecountyarts.org/art-mountain/
Newland Fall Festival, September 30 | Riverwalk Park & Stage, Newland, NC
Handmade crafts, delectable food and food trucks, fall-themed retail and early Christmas gift vendors, plus lots of live music throughout the day. The focus is on locally created handmade crafts and a community-wide fall harvest celebration, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., all sponsored by the Town of Newland. townofnewland.org/events-1
West Jefferson Stomp & Brew, October 7 | Downtown West Jefferson, NC Stomp & Brew is a craft beer, wine, mead, cider, and music festival located in the Ashe County Arts Council parking lot celebrating the talents of craft beer brewers and wine-makers throughout the region. Only 21-years-and-older admitted, noon-4 p.m. But under 21s can enjoy the Classic Car Show and food trucks. Proceeds to be donated to the local Shoes for Kids charity. stompandbrew.com
Beech Mountain Fall Festival
October 14 | Buckeye Recreation Center, Beech Mountain, NC
From noon.-2 p.m., come enjoy wagon rides, games, crafts and more while checking out all of the fun amenities at the Fred and Margie Pfohl Buckeye Rec Center; sponsored by Beech Mountain Parks & Rec. beechmtn.com/event/fall-festival-2/
Festival of the Frescoes
October 14 | Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Glendale Springs, NC
Enjoy a popular annual celebration on behalf of High Country arts and supporting the unique frescoes by Ben Long. This traditional country fair, running 9 a.m.-4 p.m., features local arts, crafts, food, fresh bakery items, a raffle drawing, a silent auction, live music, one-of-a-kind treasures from Granny’s Attic plus plenty of activities for the kids and Tours of the Frescoes. www.ashechamber.com
N.C. Mountaineer & Apple Butter Festival
October 20- 22 | Bakersville Creek Walk, Bakersville, NC
Rows of food and crafts vendors welcome visitors along with live apple butter making that turns out some of the best apple butter to be found. The traditional Mountaineer Challenge, Pet Pageant, live music, food vendors, a car show and lots of family fun are hallmarks of this annual event. Facebook @ NCMountaineerFestival/
Save the Date! Winterfest, January 25-28 | Downtown Blowing Rock, NC
“Don’t hibernate, celebrate!” WinterFest turns the town of Blowing Rock into a magical winter wonderland filled with thrilling events and unforgettable experiences for the whole family. Plan early to attend this unique and fun winter festival. blowingrockwinterfest.com
The very BEST of the season is right here in the High Country and surrounding foothills! In addition to the fall festivals featured on the previous pages, be sure to check out the many opportunities and events related to local art, music, food and holidaythemed adventures—the choices are nearly limitless!
Art in the Park – Outdoor art is at its best in downtown Blowing Rock. Don’t miss the final 2023 event on Saturday, October 7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Enjoy arts and crafts from award-winning and acclaimed artisans, jury-selected each year. Pick up gifts for everyone on your list, and add works to your own personal collections, including functional beauties like furniture, cutlery, and wearable art. https://blowingrock.com/artinthepark/ Spruce Pine Potters Market – The Annual Spruce Pine Potters Market takes place this year on Saturday and Sunday, October 14 and 15, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the historic Cross Street Commerce Center, 31 Cross Street, in Spruce Pine, NC. Sponsored by the Spruce Pine Potters Association (SPPA), the event showcases the work of 27 artists from Mitchell and Yancey counties who have established studios and made this area home. The ceramic work seen in this show represents a wide range of aesthetic and stylistic interpretations, ranging from functional to sculptural pieces, allowing many choices for visitors. Check out a complete list of participating potters at www.sprucepinepottersmarket.com.
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts – Celebrating 20 years, the Turchin Center for Visual Arts (TCVA) continues to host a variety of events as they recognize this important milestone. Now through November 4, special art exhibitions include Memento Mori: Death and the Art of Living (Larassa Kabel); and Circular Solutions: CENTER Award+Grant Recipients 2021 & 2022 Through December 2, you’ll have an opportunity to explore the Passage/ Time Pieces exhibition. On the first Friday of every month (excluding January), TCVA is open late as part of the Downtown Boone Art Crawl. Residents, visitors and the Appalachian State University community are invited to TCVA to experience the exhibitions featured in its six galleries. Now through May 2024, seize the opportunity to walk through the App State campus and view the participants of the 37th Rosen Sculpture Competition and Exhibition. For a closer look at more Turchin Center events this fall, visit tcva.org
Beech Mountain Holiday Market – On Saturday, November 25, grab your Santa satchel and head over to the Fred & Margie Pfohl Buckeye Recreation Center for the annual Beech Mountain Holiday Market, running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Browse through local arts and crafts to find the perfect gift for those special some-ones. Bring the kids and enjoy a variety of holiday-themed activities. Beech Mountain Parks & Rec hosts this annual event, located in the gym at 1330 Pine Ridge Rd. Beech Mountain, NC. For additional details, call 828-387-3003. Beechrecreation.recdesk.com
Tweetsie Railroad Presents Ghost Train® – All aboard for this popular fall family tradition, beginning Friday, September 22, and continuing every Friday and Saturday night through October 28. During Tweetsie Railroad’s Family-Friendly Halloween Celebration, the theme park transforms from the Wild West by day to a Ghost Train at night. Younger children will love the dance parties, trick-or-treat stations, themed photo opportunities, and the Palace Spooktacular Show. Braver kids and adults will enjoy the scary night-time journey on the Ghost Train, walking through the hallowed halls of the Haunted House and exploring the murky Freaky Forest. tweetsie.com
Beech Mountain Halloween “Trail or Treat” and Haunted Trail – On Friday, October 27, join in on the fun at Buckeye Recreation Center for Beech Mountain’s Annual Halloween Party and Haunted Trail. The trail or treat and Halloween party will run from 6-7 p.m. and the “Haunted Trail” is open until 9 p.m. (after 8 p.m., the Haunted Trail is recommended for ages 8+). For more info, call 828-387-3003 or visit beechrecreation.recdesk.com.
The Blowing Rock Halloween Festival – On Saturday, October 28, join Blowing Rock Parks & Rec for tons of fun with a full afternoon of spooky activities. From downtown trick-or-treating to the famous Monster March, this is a hugely popular Halloween event for kids of all ages. The fun begins at Memorial Park, located in the middle of downtown, and all activities are free. For more information and a complete schedule of festival events, visit blowingrock.com/halloween, or call 828-295-5222.
Seven Devils Trunk or Treat – Come enjoy some fun and safe Trunk or Treating on Monday, October 30, 5-7 p.m., at The Park at Seven Devils, located at 157 Seven Devils Road. The community will give out both candy bags and candy! Bring children 16 and under for a spooky good time! Visit sevendevils.net or call 828-963-5343 for details.
Boone BOO! – Join the Town of Boone on Tuesday, October 31, from 5-7:30 p.m. for Boone BOO! The community and visitors are invited to stop by downtown Boone merchants for a safe, family-friendly trick-or-treating event. The stage will be set with special Halloween music streaming down King Street and larger-than-life Halloween inflatables lining the sidewalks. The central part of King Street will be closed (from Appalachian Street to Burrell Street) to accommodate trick-or-treaters and to make room for some surprise guests. More details at Joneshouse.org, or 828-268-6280.
Honoring Veterans at Hickory Ridge History Museum – Hickory Ridge History Museum, located at Daniel Boone Park in Boone, NC, hosts this year’s special “Veterans Day” event on November 4 (the Saturday prior to
Veterans Day), noon to 2 p.m. The Museum provides a look back at High Country history, and showcase 18th and 19th century cabins that reflect High Country heritage. Guests can roam from cabin to cabin and see how people lived, including Daniel Boone himself. The museum is open through November 11 for guided tours on Tuesdays - Fridays at 10 a.m., with the last tour time at 3 p.m. Tours last approximately 45 minutes. On Saturdays the museum is open for self-guided tours from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Find out more details about special events and museum tours at horninthewest. com/museum or in-person at 591 Horn in the West Drive, Boone, NC 28607.
Veterans Day MOAA Ceremony in Boone – The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) is a non-profit veterans’ association dedicated to maintaining a strong national defense and to preserving the earned entitlements of members of the uniformed services and their families and survivors. The High Country Chapter of the MOAA serves Avery, Mitchell and Watauga counties, and has been awarded the MOAA 5-Star level of Excellence Chapter recognition.
In honor of Veterans Day on Saturday, November 11, MOAA hosts an annual Community Veterans Day Celebration, traditionally held at the Boone Mall. Hundreds of members of the High Country community pay tribute, and the Watauga Community Band, along with special guest speakers, make it a truly memorable event. Visit hccmoaa.org for times and additional details.
Western Youth Network’s 9th Annual Festival of Trees – Celebrate the season and support Western Youth Network (WYN) by visiting and bidding on more than 100 decorated trees and wreaths displayed across the High Country! Designers will decorate and place trees in area businesses and retail locations in Watauga, Ashe and Avery counties. The festival takes place November 15-30.
View in person or online and bid for these beautiful creations—many of which are loaded with gift certificates, goodies and gifts. The auction for the trees and other items will close at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30. The Festival of Trees also includes wreath making workshops on Monday, November 27 (registration required), a Hot Chocolate Social at the Watauga Recreation Center on Tuesday, November 28, from 4-6 p.m, and a holiday movie night at the Appalachian Theatre on Wednesday, November 29. A map to trees, along with auction and festival details can be found on Facebook @ fot.wyn/ Light Up Downtown North Wilkesboro – Light Up Downtown is an annual holiday lighting ceremony and street festival presented by the Downtown North Wilkesboro Partnership, held the Friday before Thanksgiving. This year’s festival takes place on Friday, November 17, from 6 to 9 p.m. Visitors will enjoy crafts, food and gift vendors; plus, local shops throughout
downtown will stay open late. Visits with Santa Claus, a marching band, dance troupes, live holiday music and so much more is offered at this family-friendly event. 832 Main Street, North Wilkesboro, NC 28659, www. downtownnorthwilkesboro.com
Ashe County Holiday Parade in West Jefferson – Head to downtown West Jefferson, NC, for their annual holiday parade! Always a great time, this year’s parade will be held Saturday, November 18, from 3-5 p.m. Local bands, dance groups, churches, businesses, fire/rescue trucks, police cars and more participate in the parade each year. And of course, Santa will be there to meet and greet the kids! Known by many as “The Christmas Tree capital of the USA,” Ashe County’s parade and other related holiday events celebrate tree growers and our native Fraser firs. Find out more details at ashechamber.com
Christmas in Blowing Rock – Attention families: be sure to catch this annual two-day event, with carnival games, visits with Santa, hayrides, live music, and a tree-lighting to kick off the event on Friday, November 24. The Blowing Rock Christmas Parade starts up on Saturday, November 25, at 10 a.m. The Christmas Parade, complete with decorated floats, animals, and festive parade walkers, makes its way down Main Street. Enjoy additional free Saturday entertainment, including music, games, crafts, hayrides, gingerbread house building, and Santa sightings. All events take place in Memorial Park, right on Main Street in downtown Blowing Rock. For more information on all of Blowing Rock’s autumn and winter happenings, including the annual Winterfest Celebration in early 2024, call 828-2955222, or visit www.blowingrock.com
Banner Elk’s “A Small Town Christmas” – Enjoy a full weekend of traditional holiday activities at this popular annual holiday event. “A Small Town Christmas” will take place at various locations in downtown Banner Elk, NC, the weekend of December 1 through 3, beginning Friday evening with the lighting of the town tree and a holiday play performed by Ensemble Stage Theatre at the Historic Banner Elk School. Saturday’s events begin early in the morning with a 5K run, breakfast with Santa, holiday fun at the Fire Station, ornament making, an arts and crafts market, cookie decorating, Christmas caroling with the choir, a Parade of Lights, train rides through the park, hot cocoa and so much more! All activities are within easy walking distance in this one-stoplight resort town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. On Sunday, visit one of many local choose & cut tree farms. Bannerelk.org, bannerelk.com, ensemblestage.com
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Apple Hill Farm – Apple Hill Farm is a unique mountaintop alpaca farm, home to nine different kinds of animals on 10 acres of mountaintop land. Open year-round to the public, the farm hosts fun and educational animal experiences, while the farm store offers a variety of products made from alpaca fibers, along with local books, jams and jellies, and more. On October 7, visitors can purchase a pass to view of the farm’s twice-a-year angora goat shearing! And on October 28, visitors can join a “Spookley’s Trick-orTreat Tour,” where a Tour Ghoul will share fun facts about the animals at each stop and safely distribute goodies for each child. This hands-on minitour also includes a reading of Spookley the Square Pumpkin. The Farm’s annual Christmas celebration takes place November 17 – January 1, 2024; visitors can tour the farm decked out for the holidays, Wednesdays through Sundays (advance ticket purchase required). applehillfarmnc.com
Corn Mazes & Pumpkin Patches – It’s time to celebrate the ripening of pumpkins and corn! Our area farmers commemorate harvest time by welcoming families to pick out their own pumpkins and meander through mazes of towering corn stalks and hay bales. Here are just a few of the offerings in our area:
Ashe County Corn Maze and Pumpkin Festival (Jefferson, NC) – Beginning mid-September, the Ashe County Corn Maze comes alive! Your family can meander through the latest maze design, and pick and choose from a variety of decorative pumpkins, gourds, and sunflowers. Other activities include a pumpkin cannon, face painting, live music (on select Saturdays), pumpkin bowling, tractor hay rides, corn hole, inflatables, and more. Open Saturdays and Sundays throughout the season. Visit ashecountycornmazeandpumpkinfestival.com ; located at 1332 NC Highway 16, Jefferson, NC.
Lantern Farm (West Jefferson, NC) – Lantern Farm sits directly on a beautiful stretch off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Ashe County. The Farm’s “Halloweentime” event runs from mid-September to late October and includes a four-acre corn maze, as well as a hay maze. Take a leisurely stroll through Lantern Farm’s pumpkin patch to find your ideal pumpkin. Enjoy fresh corn, drinks or other options at the food tent depending on seasonal availability. An assortment of pre-picked pumpkins will also be available, as well as other Halloweentime products. Tractor hay rides take place on select dates in October. For more event info, call 828-278-4489 or visit lanternfarm.com; located at Doe Meadows Drive in West Jefferson, NC. New River Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch (Boone, NC) – Located on the historic Brown Family Farm beside the scenic New River, the New River Corn Maze is open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until dark, and on Sundays 1 p.m. to dark through the fall season. Enjoy beautiful scenery, games and an amazing pumpkin patch! Visit newrivercornmaze.com or call 828-2642986; located at 660 Laurel Gap Ridge Rd., near Boone, NC.
Harvest Farm Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch (Valle Crucis, NC) – Harvest farm is located near the Original Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, surrounded by stunning mountain views. Now open for the season, the farm has a sevenacre corn maze, a large pumpkin patch, and an assortment of early fall flowers that you can cut in the field and take home. For tickets and hours, visit harvestfarmwnc.com; located at 3287 NC 194, Valle Crucis, NC.
Orchard at Altapass – The Orchard at Altapass is one of the most visited locations on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Altapass aims to preserve the history, heritage and culture of the Blue Ridge Mountains; protect the underlying orchard land with its apples, wetlands, butterflies, and other natural features; and educate the public about the Appalachian experience. This fall, head to the orchards to pick your own heirloom apples. Take a “Heyride” through the orchard and travel back in time. You can also shop for locally made gifts in the general store, enjoy music and dancing in the pavilion, and much more. The Orchard at Altapass is open10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday through October 29. www.altapassorchard.org
Choose & Cut Tree Farms – Beginning in November of every year, families drive to the High Country to choose their favorite Fraser firs, white pines, and other varieties of evergreens for decorating their homes during the holiday season. You’ll find dozens of tree farms in Avery, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Burke, Mitchell and Yancey counties in NC, and bordering counties in TN and VA. Many of these farms offer hayrides, hot chocolate/ hot cider, petting zoos and visits with Santa. Pick up your “North Carolina Choose & Cut Memories” guide at visitors’ centers and retail locations throughout western NC, or visit the NC Christmas Tree Association’s website for their online guide to local Choose & Cut Tree Farms at www. ncchristmastrees.com
Autumn Farmers’ Markets – Our local Farmers’ Markets continue to deliver the season’s freshest vegetables, meats, cheeses, eggs, baked goods, jellies and jams, and a wide assortment of arts and crafts. Enjoy hot beverages and a variety of entertainment. And most important, get to know your local farmers! Please be sure to confirm dates/times with your markets of choice prior to scheduling a trip.
Abingdon, VA Farmers Market
Saturdays 8 a.m.-1 p.m., now – Oct., and 10 a.m.-noon Nov. thru Dec. 23; Tuesdays 3-6 p.m. through the end of September
The corner of Remsburg Dr. and Cummings St. in downtown Abingdon
Alleghany, NC Farmers Market
Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m., now through the end of October Crouse Park in downtown Sparta, NC
Ashe County Farmers’ Market
Regular market, Saturdays 8 a.m.-1 p.m. now through October 28; Holiday markets on Nov. 18, 24, 25 and Dec. 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 108 Backstreet, West Jefferson, NC
Beech Mountain Farmers’ Market
First Fridays 2-6 p.m., now through the end of October Public Parking Lot across from Fred’s General Mercantile
Lansing Park Farmers’ Market
Fridays 1-6 p.m. until November
Lansing Creeper Trail Park, 114 S Big Horse Creek Rd, Lansing, NC
Avery County Farmers’ Market
Thursdays 4-6:30 p.m., now through Oct. 19
Historic Banner Elk School Parking Lot
185 Azalea Circle, Banner Elk, NC
Watauga County Farmers’ Market
Saturdays April through Oct, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
Saturdays in November, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
591 Horn in the West Dr., Boone
King Street Farmers’ Market, powered by Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture
Tuesdays 4-7 p.m. through the end of October
126 Poplar Grove Connector, Boone, NC
Blowing Rock Farmers’ Market
Thursdays 2-6 p.m., through the end of October
379 Sunset Drive, Downtown Blowing Rock, NC
Johnson County Farmers’ Market
Saturdays through October 28, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Ralph Stout Park in Mountain City Mountain City, TN
Wilkes County Farmers’ Market
Saturdays 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Tuesdays 3:30-5:30 p.m., through October
Yadkin Valley Marketplace in downtown N. Wilkesboro
Morganton Farmers’ Markets
Saturdays 8 a.m.-12 p.m., through October
300 Beach St., Morganton
Wednesday Mini Market, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., through October
111 North Green St., Morganton
High Country Food Hub
Order fresh, local foods online and pick them up at one of six convenient locations throughout Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties. www.highcountryfoodhub.org
Emerald Village – Emerald Village in Little Switzerland, NC, is a group of gem, mining, and historical attractions nestled deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway and within an hour’s drive of
Boone and Blowing Rock. While there, you can explore the N.C. Mining Museum and take an underground tour of the historic Bon Ami Mine. For an “out of this world” experience, Emerald Village offers night-time underground mine tours that unlock vibrant hidden colors available only under ultraviolet light, commonly called black light. The effect, underground at night, is stunning! Black light tours are offered the following Saturdays: Oct. 7 (at 8 p.m.), Oct. 14 (at 7:45 p.m.), and Oct. 21 (at 7:45 p.m.). Each tour begins at dark, and advance online reservations are required at emeraldvillage.com, or by calling 828-ROK-MINE (828-7656463). Emerald Village is open for daytime tours every day from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. through October 31.
Liberty Mountain at Kings Mountain, NC – Liberty Mountain, by Playwright Robert Inman, depicts the dramatic events leading to the October 7, 1780 Battle of Kings Mountain. The hardy pioneers who tamed and settled this area fought and won this crucial battle that turned the tide of the Revolution and led directly to the British surrender at Yorktown a year later. The story of these pioneer Patriots is told in dramatic fashion in the stage play Liberty Mountain, on tap for its seventh season in Kings Mountain, NC. Performances are presented on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays including September 22, 23, 24, 29 and 30, and October 1, 6, 8. Performance times are Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday at 3 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at www.libertymountaindrama.com or by calling the Kings Mountain Little Theatre at 704-730-9408.
Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming – In its fifth year, Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming, held on October 12-14, is an Outlander-themed celebration of the history of Jamie and Claire Fraser’s NC backcountry wilderness. The Homecoming is a unique three-day, immersive event held at Leatherwood Mountains Resort in Ferguson, North Carolina. With historically accurate workshops, presentations, encampments, music, dancing and much more, Homecoming attendees will be taken back in time to Jamie & Claire’s “home” on The Ridge. Learn and experience 18th-century NC history and form lifelong friendships with other Outlander fans. Tickets available at frasersridgehomecoming.com, while they last.
Have an event for us to consider listing in a future issue of CML? Email your press release to CML’s Editor at tamara@NCexplorers.com.
“Come have fun & take home some great memories!”
• Dinner nightly from 5pm
• Offering both indoor and outdoor dining
• Live music Friday & Saturday nights
• Private room available
• Locally owned and operated
• “Avery County Chamber Business of the Year”
828-898-5550
344 Shawneehaw Ave. South, Banner Elk stonewallsrestaurant.com
• Creativity, passion and culinary excellence
• Parties of all sizes
• In-home catering
• Fully insured and licensed
• Largest mobile kitchen in the High Country
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344 Shawneehaw Ave. South, Banner Elk stonewallsrestaurant.com
• One main lodge and three cabins with mountain views
• 1-4 bedrooms available
• Event barn, outdoor pavilion, open field, meandering streams, and ponds all onsite
• Located in the heart of Sugar and Beech Mountains, with proximity to all High Country attractions
• Pet-friendly
828-898-3115
64 Cornerstone Cir, Banner Elk cornerstonerentals.com
• Vacations, weddings, family reunions, church events, and business retreats
• Newly built barn with 1,700 sq. ft., and 18-ft. high ceilings
• Barn equipped with a complete catering kitchen
• Climate controlled barn
• 1,750 sq. ft. outdoor pavilion with fire pit
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• Fields, streams, and ponds
828-898-3115
64 Cornerstone Cir, Banner Elk thebarnatcornerstone.com
The flurry of auditions, callbacks, casting, and rehearsals taking place all over the High Country mirrors the swirling leaves in a brisk autumn breeze. There is palpable excitement about upcoming productions from artists and audience members alike. From now through December, there are hundreds of performances, exhibits, and events on local stages, at museums, and in galleries across the region. The following is an overview of performing arts offerings on the schedule, but please note that on-campus events by our local colleges and universities are listed separately.
PLEASE REMEMBER that all performances, dates, and times are subject to change; you are strongly encouraged to contact the box office for the most current info.
See you at the theatre!
Over in Sparta, the ALLEGHANY COMMUNITY THEATRE is producing Matt Lyle’s adult comedy mystery Barbeque Apocalypse from October 13 – 15 in a dinner theatre setting at the Burgiss Barn in Laurel Springs, NC. The action takes place when three couples and an uninvited guest gather on the back deck of a modest suburban home for a mid-summer barbecue. Eventually the group discovers that the world has literally been falling apart during their terrible little barbecue. Info and tickets available at AlleghanyCommunityTheatre.org
The APPALACHIAN THEATRE OF THE HIGH COUNTRY in the heart of downtown Boone has (literally) dozens of events programmed this autumn, but here is a representative sampling. On September 22, the Los Cumbia Stars, nominated for the Latin Grammy Awards in 2020 for best Cumbia/ Vallenato album, perform Colombian tropical music as the only new band of the tropical genre signed by the legendary record label Discos Fuentes. National Silent Film Day is being celebrated on September 29 with the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra recreating the syncopated stylings of a bygone era, including ragtime, theater, and dance music,
along with underscoring classic silent films. October 6 brings Ashe County native and the 2019 International Bluegrass Music Association Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year winner Tray Wellington performing with special guest, Stokes County resident and App State grad Will Easter
Highland Reverie on October 12 features Luke and Madison Morris with a sound that is rooted in the folk traditions they grew up with in Appalachia. They are joined by Asheville’s Hollar Choir, led by the lyrical craftsmanship of singer, guitarist, and songwriter Clint Roberts, with the dulcet clawhammer banjo plucking of Helena Rose and upright bassist Norbert McGettigan. October 14 will showcase performer, composer, and recording artist Brianna Tam, a solo electric cellist who uses her bare feet on her loop station in order to envelop listeners in her epic symphonic experience. The Flat River Band follows on October 20 consisting of three brothers, Andy, Chad and Dennijo Sitze, who grew up in a multi-generational family band.
On November 14, the Theatre will hold their 85th Birthday Bash followed three days later by the award-winning bluegrass group Balsam Range performing their recording, “Mountain Overture,” live with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra. The Pam Tillis Acoustic Trio takes to the Doc Watson stage on November 18, featuring the country music singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress daughter of country music legend Mel Tillis.
The holiday season brings three events with The Embers Holiday Show featuring Craig Woolard on November 28, The Kruger Brothers Christmas Special on December 15, and Matt Lewis and Long Live the King Orchestra performing “An Elvis Christmas” on December 17. For a complete schedule of concerts, film screenings, and performances, go to AppTheatre.org
Over in West Jefferson at the intimate Ashe Civic Center, the ASHE COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL marks the 77th anniversary of The Clinch Mountain Boys on October 6 with a
By Keith Martinperformance by Grammy Award-winning artist Ralph Stanley II. He began working professionally for his father in 1995 and has carried on The Clinch Mountain Boys tradition ever since, as well as fronting the first Clinch Mountain Boys group after the passing of his father, Ralph Edmond Stanley. On November 3, Della Mae, a Grammy-nominated all-woman string band founded by lead vocalist/guitarist Celia Woodsmith and two-time Grand National champion fiddle player Kimber Ludiker, performs with guitarist Avril Smith and bassist Vickie Vaughn. In addition, the ASHE COUNTY LITTLE THEATRE is producing A Christmas Carol: In the Spirit from December 1- 3. For tickets and information, visit AsheCountyArts.org.
It’s “Techtember” at BARTER THEATRE, “The State Theatre of Virginia,” a word coined to indicate the organized chaos of a four-week period when they switch over from four summer offerings to four different fall productions… all at the same time. Barter’s 90th anniversary season continues with Misery, Stephen King’s novel about fan obsession adapted for the stage by William Goldman. It will have audience members on the edge of their seats through November 4. Christopher Sergel’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird explores prejudice, compassion, and the courage to do what is right, also through November 4. The classic boardgame Clue comes to life onstage in the Sandy Rustin play based on the movie screenplay by Jonathan Lynn, with additional material from Hunter Foster and Eric Price, and original music by Michael Holland. It will have you guessing through November 5.
The holiday season at Barter kicks off on November 16 with a musical version of the classic Miracle on 34th Street It’s the story of the year when Macy’s Santa Claus claims to be the real Kris Kringle. When he is put on trial to prove it, it’s up to a little girl’s belief in miracles, a kindly lawyer, and a lot of Christmas spirit to save the day. With music by Doug Smith, and
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book and lyrics by Vern Stefanic, the show runs through December 27 on the Gilliam Stage. Across the street in the Smith Theatre is Barter playwright-in-residence Catherine Bush’s play I’ll Be Home for Christmas. It’s December 24 in a busy airport, and newly divorced gate agent Cheryl Dean is desperately trying to keep her Christmas spirit as she deals with a host of zany characters flying home for the holidays. The show runs (naturally) through Christmas Eve. For more information, visit Barter’s website at BarterTheatre.com.
Perhaps in anticipation of a long winter season, BEANSTALK COMMUNITY THEATRE is producing Disney’s Frozen Jr. from October 26 - 28 at the Appalachian Theatre. Based on the 2018 Broadway musical, the show brings Elsa, Anna, and the magical land of Arendelle to life, onstage. The show features all the memorable songs from the animated film (“Let It Go,” and “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?”) with music and lyrics by Charlotte’s Kristen Anderson-Lopez and her husband, double EGOT winner Robert Lopez, plus five new songs written for the Broadway production. Critics raved that, “Frozen Jr. is sure to thaw even the coldest heart.” For more info, visit BeanStalkNC.com and for tickets go to AppTheatre.org
The BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY THEATRE is staging Horton Foote’s A Trip to Bountiful from September 29 – October 1 in the Blowing Rock School Auditorium. The poignant story focuses on Mrs. Watts, an aging widow living with her son and daughter-in-law in a threeroom flat in Houston. Fearing her presence may be an imposition on others, Mrs. Watts believes that if she could only get back to Bountiful, her hometown, she would surely regain her strength, dignity and peace of mind. The Trip to Bountiful follows Mrs. Watts through her physical and emotional journey home. For more information, please visit their website at BlueRidgeCommunityTheatreNC.com
Still reveling in the success of their recent Times Square performance, the CAROLINA SNOWBELLES return to the Appalachian Theatre for a four-show run of A Carolina Snowbelle Christmas from December 1 - 3. The 2023 edition of the High Country’s newest holiday tradition is featuring all new scenes and a few surprises for audiences young and old from the precision dance troupe, led by former Radio City Music Hall Rockette and founder Cheryl Cutlip. For more info and tickets, please visit AppTheatre.org.
The CITY OF MORGANTON MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM is the cultural gem of the Unifour area consisting of Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties, including the vibrant communities of Hickory, Lenoir, and Morganton. Their fall offerings include The Sounds of Georgia: A Revue of Georgia’s Musical History on September 28. The Georgia Players Guild, in one night of music, lets audience members experience soul artists such as Little Richard, Ray Charles, James Brown and Otis Redding, along with Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, and the Zach Brown Band, plus musical moments of the Allman Brothers and Atlanta Rhythm Section and bands like R.E.M and the B-52s. Damn Tall Buildings takes the stage on October 5 to blend elements of bluegrass, blues, rootsrock and vintage swing to create a captivating, high-energy sound.
Letters Aloud: Thanks, but No Thanks showcases “the greatest rejection letters of all time” on October 17. “The road to success is paved with rejection and boy, do we have the letters to prove it!” Among dozens of gems are Stephen King’s first rejection letter from “Spacemen Magazine,” a request of Andy Warhol to pick up his painting at the front desk before it is hauled away, Gertrude Stein getting a taste of her own repetitive medicine, and a young Sidney Poitier’s attempt to borrow $100 from President Franklin Roosevelt. Karma and perseverance combine to hilarious and heart-
warming results! On October 27, Ofrenda: A Dia de los Muertos Celebration recounts one of Mexico’s most beloved holidays during which the lives of loved ones who have passed are celebrated. The show features traditional music and dance from different regions interspersed with tributes to great Mexican artists. Gregorian: The Pure Chants Tour performs on November 12, having toured for over 20 years to more than three million people in 31 countries. “These eight classically trained English vocalists have never failed to bring audiences to their feet multiple times at every show.”
All The Oxytocin in Your Fingertips performs on November 16. A Deaf of Hearing individual, raised in a caustic 1990s household where sign language is forbidden, secretly navigates three different communities that are united by a passionate belief that communication (and love) can ignite from all the sparks alive in your fingertips. This coming-of-age story poses the question: “Would you rather be a ‘different’ person in a ‘normal’ world... or a ‘normal’ person in a different world?” The Broadway tour of Pretty Woman: The Musical hits the stage on November 30. Based on one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories of all time, this musical springs to life with a powerhouse creative team led by two-time Tony Award®-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Kinky Boots, and Legally Blonde).
On December 7, American Pride: Remembering the Music of The Legendary Statler Brothers relives the musical memories while keeping the legacy alive by promoting traditional country music. The tribute performers have a life-long love for Southern Gospel quartet music and find that audiences cannot help but clap their hands and pat their feet to “I’ll Fly Away” or “Heaven’s Jubilee.” It will be followed on December 17 by the World Ballet Series: The Nutcracker. The ballet classic is performed live by a multinational cast of 50 professional dancers gathered to bring the most beloved
holiday tradition to life. It’s a family-friendly experience accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, over 150 hand-sewn costumes, hand-crafted sets and classic Marius Petipa choreography. For additional information, please call 828-433-SHOW or 800-939-SHOW, or visit their website at www.CommaOnline.org
ENSEMBLE STAGE in the Historic Banner Elk School is concluding its summer slate of four productions with Caroline Smith’s comedy-thriller To Die For through September 24. Best-selling historical romance writer Carla Woods lives in a Gothic mansion and enjoys playing dangerous mind games with her secretaries. One dark and stormy night, a mysterious, dark, and handsome man shows up at her door. Could this simply be payback from a disgruntled employee, or could it be…love’s destiny?
Two of Alfred Hitchcock’s thrillers, The Haunting Hour and The Birds, are showcased in the Hitchcock Radio Hour with performances on October 27 and 28. No other theatre company in the High Country produces staged radio plays better than Ensemble, and these annual Halloween productions are mustsee events, especially for fans of classic radio. Speaking of holiday traditions, the fifth edition of A Banner Elk Christmas opens on December 1 with five performances through December 17. This original musical variety show is patterned after the Andy Williams and Bing Crosby television Christmas specials of the ‘60s and ‘70s. With all or parts of nearly forty songs performed in just over an hour, it is a fast-paced musical and visual experience full of singing and dancing (and lots of costume changes). For ticket info, visit EnsembleStage.com or call 828-414-1844.
Joe Shannon’s MOUNTAIN HOME MUSIC partners with Carolina Ramble Productions and Kattagast Music to present An Evening of Appalachian Murder Ballads. Appalachia
abounds with lonesome songs about killing, and among the more infamous tunes are “Pretty Polly,” “Frankie and Johnny,” “The Knoxville Girl,” “Banks of the Ohio” and of course, “Tom Dooley,” based on a disputed murder in Wilkes County. The term ballad applied to traditional or folk music means a narrative song, and murder ballads are a sub-genre of the traditional form dealing with a crime or a gruesome death with lyrics forming a narrative describing the events of a murder, often including the lead-up and/or aftermath. Producers recommend the show for audiences age 18 and over. For a complete list of the participating artists—there are more than a dozen—or to purchase tickets, go to AppTheatre.org
WATAUGA ARTS COUNCIL, in partnership with the Downtown Boone Development Association and the Jones House, is sponsoring the Third Annual Buskers Fest beginning at 5 p.m. during the October 8 First Friday event. Buskers Fest is a celebration of our eclectic creative community with artists, musicians, performers, demonstrators, and creative groups lining the streets of Boone and filling the parking lots. Over 100 creatives will be on the streets sharing their talents with residents and visitors. You can buy art, make art, dance, sing, make pottery, discover bands and musicians, and learn about the incredible creatives in the High Country and beyond. Have your Venmo app ready or bring cash to support the artists. More details are available over at www. Watauga-Arts.org/BuskersFest
Last, but not least, the Benton Hall Community Arts Center in North Wilkesboro is home to the dynamic WILKES PLAYMAKERS, an avocational theatre that welcomes everyone in front of or behind the curtain. Their next offering is the High Country premiere of PUFFS (or, Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic), a v-e-r-y popular show still running Off Broadway at New World Stages in
NYC. One critic noted that, “‘Hufflepuffs’ finally get their moment in this hilarious Potter play.” For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs... who just happened to be there, too. This tale is for anyone who has never been destined to save the world. Performances run from September 22 – October 1.
From December 1 – 10 the Playmakers are producing a double bill consisting of An Enchanted Bookshop Christmas and Stocking Stuffers. The first features beloved literary characters of the bestselling “The Enchanted Bookshop” in a very merry prequel by Todd Wallenger. This time, they’re joined by a whole crew of Christmas themed characters, including the Nutcracker Prince, Amy March, the Velveteen Rabbit, the Little Match Girl, and even Ebenezer Scrooge himself! Stocking Stuffers, by Geff Moyer, is a series of 15 short vignettes with Act I characters ranging from Uncle Sam, the Easter Bunny, and Cupid to Ezekiel the Pilgrim and Hagatha the Witch. Act 11 revisits a fast-talking Little Matchgirl, the trial of two reindeers “who ran over Grandma,” and Santa himself. Ticket information is available at WilkesPlaymakers.com. Their box office phone number is 336-838-PLAY (7529).
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Music is made in our area all year long by skilled and talented musicians. They’re picking and jamming on the stages, in the meadows and on front porches. Here are some of our favorite places…
Linville Falls Winery – Located near Linville Falls and the spectacular Linville Gorge, the steepest gorge east of the Mississippi River, Linville Falls Winery hosts music every Thursday through Sunday until the end of October from 2-5 p.m. | 9557 Linville Falls Hwy (Hwy 221) Linville Falls, NC Blue Ridge Parkway Mile 317, 828-765-1400, linvillefallswinery.com
Banner Elk Winery – The High Country’s original winery is just minutes from downtown Banner Elk and hosts music on Fridays 1-5 p.m., Saturdays starting at 2 p.m., and Sundays 1-5 p.m. until the end of October. 60 Deer Run Lane, Banner Elk, NC, 828-898-9090, bannerelkwinery.com
Grandfather Vineyard and Winery – Music in the vineyard hosts a season full of live music. Enjoy music and food trucks Wednesday through Saturday starting at 2 p.m., and Sunday afternoons starting at 1 p.m. through September. In October, there will be music and food trucks daily, and in November, music is available on Saturday and Sunday only. | 225 Vineyard Lane, off NC 105 between Boone and Banner Elk, 828-963-2400, grandfathervineyard.com
Watauga Lake Winery – Johnson County, Tennessee’s, first winery will host musical lineups on Saturdays starting at 5 p.m. | 6952 Big Dry Run Rd., Butler, TN, 423-768-0345, wataugalakewinery.com
Villa Nove Vineyard – Nestled in the Appalachian High Country with vineyard-laced hills giving way to breathtaking 360-degree views. Enjoy live music Sundays 2-5 p.m. | 1877 Dry Hill Rd, Butler, TN, 423-768-0345, waterfrontgroupwatauga.com/villa-nove-vineyard/
Old Barn Winery – Enjoy live music at this family-owned winery located in the beautiful mountains of West Jefferson, NC, Fridays 3-6 p.m., Saturdays 1-7 p.m. (usually two bands), and Sundays 2-5 p.m. | 2152 Beaver Creek School Rd, West Jefferson, 336-846-6060, oldbarnwinery.com
Old Hampton Barbecue and The Tavern at the Old Hampton Store –Live outdoor music on select Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at noon and 6 p.m. Go to Old Hampton Store Facebook page for the latest updates, additions, and changes. | 77 Ruffin Street, Linville, 828-733-5213, Facebook @ OldHamptonStore/
Banner Elk Café – Live bands on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year, 6-10 p.m. | 324 Shawneehaw Ave. S, Banner Elk, 828-898-4040, bannerelkcafe.com
Lost Province Brewery – Live music every Friday and Saturday evening starting at 7 p.m. | 130 N. Depot Street, Boone, 828-265-3506, lostprovince.com
Chef’s Table – Live Wednesday night jazz with Shane Chalke at 7 p.m. Additional live music on Friday and Saturday nights starting at 7 p.m. and karaoke at 10 p.m. | 140 Azalea Circle, Banner Elk, 828-898-5214, bannerelkvillage.com
Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria – Live music every Friday 5:30-8:45 p.m. and family friendly pianist Andrew Cotts Thursdays and Sundays 5:30-9 p.m. | 402 Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain, 828-387-4000, famousbrickoven.com
Highlanders Grill & Tavern – Live music Saturdays from 3-6 p.m., and karaoke on Friday nights at 8 p.m. Check out the lineup at Facebook @ highlandersbannerelk/ | 4527 Tynecastle Hwy., Banner Elk, 828-898-9613
Timberlake’s Restaurant – at the Chetola Resort features live music in the Pub, on the Patio or by the Bonfire, depending on weather and special events, Wednesday through Saturday 6-9 p.m. | 185 Chetola Lake Dr., Blowing Rock, 828-295-5505, chetola.com/dining/
Casa Rustica – Live music on Thursday evenings with Todd Wright and Andy Page | 1348 Hwy. 150 South, Boone, 828-262-5128, casarustica1981.com
Blowing Rock Brewing – Enjoy great food and beer with live music on Sundays from 2-5 p.m. | 152 Sunset Dr, Blowing Rock, 828-414-9600, Facebook @ BRBrewingCo/
Blind Elk Tap Room – Live music and food trucks on various nights and trivia on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. There’s a lot to choose from for your summertime pleasure. Please check their Facebook page for up-to-date information. | 397 Shawneehaw Ave., Banner Elk, 828-898-2420, Facebook @ BlindElk/
Music on the Lawn at The Inn at Ragged Gardens – Friday evenings through October 6, 5:30-8:30 p.m., weather permitting. Bring your own seating; outdoor bar and lawn menu available. Sorry, no coolers, pets, or outside food or beverages. | 203 Sunset Dr., Blowing Rock, 828-295-9703, ragged-gardens.com
Music on the Veranda and the Lobby at Green Park Inn – Music on the Veranda Sundays, 5-8 p.m. Bring your own chairs. Music in the lobby with Charlie Ellis on piano Friday and Saturday nights 6-9 p.m. 9239 Valley Blvd., Blowing Rock, 828-414-9230, GreenParkInn.com
High Country Jazz Society Concert – Takes place October 6 from 5-7 p.m. at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country in Boone. Please call for reservations one week prior to the concert. | 559 W King St., Boone, 828865-6860, highcountryjazzsociety.wordpress.com, apptheatre.org
The Pineola Live Music Weekends – Live music Friday and Saturday nights from 7-10 p.m. | 3085 Linville Falls Hwy., Pineola, 828-733-4979, thepineola.com
Beech Mountain/Beech Mountain Resort – Free live music through mid-October, on Thursdays at the Mile High Tavern (1003 Beech Mountain Parkway, 828-387-2470) and Saturdays at 5506’ and at the Resort Village. Beechmtn.com, beechmountainresort.com
Sugar Mountain Oktoberfest – Sugar Mountain’s annual Oktoberfest invites you to bring your lederhosen or dirndl and have fun! Parking, shuttle service, and admission are free for this two-day event. The Harbour Towne Fest Band will provide entertainment, food and crafts will be available for purchase, as well as traditional Spaten beer. October 7 and 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Sugar Mountain Resort, 1009 Sugar Mountain Dr., Sugar Mountain, NC, 828-898-4521, oktoberfest.skisugar.com
Mountain Glory Festival – Visitors will find original crafts, food, local wine, and beer, plus two stages presenting Marion’s finest musicians. Free admission. October 14, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Main Street, Marion, NC, 828-652-2215, mtngloryfestival.com
Valle Country Fair – The annual Valle Country Fair is a sure favorite among locals and visitors. Crafts, food, and toe tapping music, traditional dancing, and classic tales by a master storyteller. Admission is free, and parking costs $10 per car, $25 for a small bus or van and $50 for a motorcoach. Across from Holy Cross Episcopal Church. October 21, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 122 Skiles Way, Banner Elk, NC, 828-963-4609, vallecountryfair.org
Woolly Worm Festival – The quirky and light-hearted Woolly Worm Festival is an event that you won’t see anywhere else! Enjoy crafts, plenty of food vendors, and live music, plus the Woolly Worm Wace. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 to 12, and free for children five years of age and younger. Proceeds go to support children’s charities, small business, and tourism. October 21 – 22; Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.4 p.m. | 185 Azalea Circle, Banner Elk, NC, 828-898-5605, woollyworm.com
Carolina in the Fall Music and Food Festival – September 22, 5:30 p.m., and September 23, 12-10 p.m. at Carolina West Wireless Community Commons. | 102 West Main St., Wilkesboro, 336-990-9500, carolinainthefall.org
Brushy Mountain Apple Festival – This free one-day arts and crafts festival on October 7, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in downtown Wilkesboro, has four music stages, hundreds of arts and crafts vendors and food. On the Friday night before the festival, October 6, gather at the corner of 10th and Main Streets in downtown North Wilkesboro for Apple Jam, a live music event starting at 6 p.m. The proceeds go to the Brushy Mountain Ruritan Club, a group that supports nonprofit organizations and families in need. | Downtown Wilkesboro, 336-921-3499, applefestival.net
Concert in the Park, Blowing Rock – Sunday, October 8, 1-3 p.m. following Art in The Park. | Memorial Park, 1036 Main Street, Blowing Rock, NC, 828-295-7851, blowingrock.com/concertinthepark
Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music – Live music events at the Ashe Civic Center in West Jefferson. Check their website for upcoming concert dates. | 962 Mt Jefferson Rd, West Jefferson, mountainhomemusic.org
Appalachian Theatre of the High Country – This restored theatre has too many dates and acts to count so please check out their events page for tickets and information at apptheatre.org | 559 W King St, Boone, 828-865-3000
The Schaefer Center Presents – Offering a diverse array of music, dance, and theatre programming for audiences of all ages September through April. Musical events range from symphony orchestra and chamber music performances to jazz, blues, folk, popular and international artists. Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, 733 Rivers St., Boone, 828-262- 4046, theschaefercenter@appstate.edu
The Jones House – The music moves to the Mazie Jones Gallery for the Indoor Concerts at the Jones House late September through early December; acts cover numerous genres, including old-time and bluegrass, traditional fiddle tunes, saxophone-infused love songs, Scotch-Irish folk music, and a blend of original songs by NC singer-songwriters. Tickets are $20 and require advance reservation. | 604 W King St, Boone, NC 28607, 828-268-6280 Joneshouse.org
Concerts on the Deck – Bring a chair and your dancing shoes to the Yadkin Valley Marketplace the third Saturday of each month, now through October, starting at 7 p.m. | 842 CBD Loop, North Wilkesboro, 336-667-7129, downtownnorthwilkesboro.com
The Orchard at Altapass – Free live music in the outdoor pavilion through September on Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to noon 1025 Orchard Rd., Spruce Pine, 828-765-9531, altapassorchard.org
Crossnore Jam – Free live jam sessions. Bring an instrument if you would like to join in! Town Meeting House on the first Friday of the month at 10:30 a.m. and every Tuesday at 1 p.m. | Crossnore Drive, Crossnore, 828-733-0360.
Bluegrass Country Music Jam – This is a community event at the Historic Banner Elk School in the Book Exchange on the 3rd Mondays of the month at 6 p.m. | 185 Azalea Way, Banner Elk, bannerelkbookexchange.com
Old-Time Acoustic Jams at the Jones House – Join local and visiting musicians every Thursday at 7 p.m. for an old-time jam. Bring an instrument and join in or just enjoy the music. | 604 West King St., Boone, 828-268-6280, joneshouse.org
Red, White, and Bluegrass Jams – at the American Legion in Blowing Rock on the first and third Tuesday of the month from April to November. Come to listen or bring your instrument and join right in. 333 Wallingford St, Blowing Rock, 828-295-5222, Facebook @ rwbj.boone.nc/
Saloon Studios Live – This all-inclusive musical venue is the ultimate music lover’s retreat, set in the Blue Ridge Mountain community of West Jefferson. Concerts through September. | 313 Old West Rd., West Jefferson, 336-877-2374, saloonstudioslive.com
Search for additional regional music opportunities at Blue Ridge Music Trails: blueridgemusicnc.com. Be sure to check with each venue or search online for any changes to dates, times, locations, and restrictions before heading out.
By Keith Martin
The academic year in the High Country nicely compliments seasonal offerings by our vital community and professional companies, with exceptional cultural programs being produced and presented at Appalachian State University, Lees-McRae College, and Wilkes Community College. These on-campus events welcome community audiences and visitors to the High Country with innovative programming that greatly enriches the quality of life in our region. Five different groups recently announced their fall 2023 seasons with a total of 14 productions from September through mid-December. The following is a brief overview of what to expect in the upcoming months. For more information, visit the websites listed at the end of each section.
n The APPlause! K-12 Series at Appalachian State University presents affordable music, dance, film, and theatre events to students and their teachers from K-12 classrooms across the region. Students experience everything from high-energy acrobatics and Appalachian music to international dance and literary classics brought to life through theatrical productions. In recent seasons, more than 8,000 students across our region have attended APPlause Series events. For a complete listing of all three school performances this fall, visit their website at TheSchaeferCenter.org/Applause
n The Department of Theatre and Dance at Appalachian State University has announced four major offerings produced in various indoor and outdoor venues on their Boone campus. The box office numbers are 828-262-4046 or 800-841-2787 and their website may be found at www. theatreanddance.appstate.edu.
First Year Showcase: September 28 – 30, 2023, Various Outdoor Locations on Campus, Coordinated by Marianne Adams and Dr. Gina Grandi
This annual season opener for the Department of Theatre and Dance is open to all first year and new transfer students interested in majoring or minoring in any of the six different degree concentrations within the department. An inclusive production that incorporates anyone who wants to be involved with students responsible for the creation and performance of the show, which utilizes outdoor campus spaces to create site specific performance works.
Rules for Living by Sam Holcroft: October 4 - 8, 2023
In the Valborg Theatre, Directed by Derek Gagnier
A dark comedy about dysfunction and societal norms explores coping with family dynamics and social constructs that limit behaviors through cognitive therapy. The play follows a family preparing for Christmas lunch and tensions begin to rise as they deal with family issues. Each movement, gesture, or voice is dictated over by the play’s set of “rules” which the actors must follow to function correctly in playwright Holcroft’s world.
Passage by Christopher Chen November 1 – 5, 2023
In the Valborg Theatre, Directed by Dr. Ray Miller
Passage is a play that revolves around the question: Can citizens from Country X really be friends with citizens from Country Y? In a world that is increasingly smaller in which countries and cultures can easily misunderstand one another, can we ever learn to really know each other and to cooperate on major issues like climate change and nuclear proliferation. The characters in this play – try as they might – find it increasingly difficult to jump that hurdle of mutual understanding.
Fall Appalachian Dance Ensemble: November 16 - 20, 2023
In the Valborg Theatre, Coordinated by Sherone Price/Susan Lutz
The Fall Appalachian Dance Ensemble (FADE) is a popular semiannual concert featuring Appalachian faculty and students showcasing their talents in choreography and performance. The 2023 FADE includes original choreography by Dance Studies faculty members Sherone Price, Kevin Warner, and Chris Yon with student choreographers creating new works for each program. As many as eight different pieces will be performed each night of the concert.
n The Performing Arts Department at Lees-McRae College, housed in the School of Arts, Humanities, and Education, has scheduled a twoshow fall theatre with performances in the Broyhill Theatre of Hayes Auditorium on their idyllic campus in Banner Elk, NC. The box office phone number is 828-898-8709 and their website is www.lmc.edu/ theatreshows.
The Toxic Avenger by Joe DiPietro and David Bryan
September 27 - October 1 in the Broyhill Theatre
Directed by Michael Hannah
Melvin Ferd, the Third, wants to clean up Tromaville, the most polluted town in New Jersey. Foiled by the mayor’s bullies, Melvin is dumped into a vat of radioactive toxic waste, only to reemerge as The Toxic Avenger, New Jersey’s first superhero. Affectionately known as Toxie, our new hero is a seven-foot mutant freak with superhuman strength and a heart as big as Newark. He’s out to save New Jersey, end global warming, and woo the blind librarian in town.
Language of Angels by Naomi Iizuki
Directed by Elizabeth Bokhoven
November 16 - 19 in the Broyhill Theatre
An eerie cycle of ghost stories, set in the cave country of North Carolina. After a young girl is lost in a cave on the edge of town, there is a Rashomon-like investigation of her disappearance and the fate of those who survive her.
n The Schaefer Center Presents performing arts series, presented by the Appalachian State University Office of Arts and Cultural Programs, offers a diverse array of music, theatre and dance designed to enrich the cultural landscape of the campus and surrounding area. The box office numbers are 828-262-4046 or 800-841-2787 with additional information available online at http://theschaefercenter.org
Thursday, October 19 in the Schaefer Center
Disney Pixar’s Coco Live-to-Film Concert on Tour features a screening of the complete film with Oscar® and Grammy®-winning composer Michael Giacchino’s musical score performed by the 20-member Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México. The film won Academy Awards® for Animated Feature Film and Original Song (“Remember Me”).
The United States Air Force Concert Band and Singing Sergeants
Wednesday, October 25 in the Schaefer Center
Note that this event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. The United States Air Force Concert Band and Singing Sergeants are on an exciting tour of Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia, performing an unforgettable night of great American music and honoring our veterans.
Indigenous Enterprise
Thursday, November 16 in the Schaefer Center
This Native American intertribal dance troupe was founded in 2015 with a mission to share the culture of Indigenous people and increase the understanding of Native identity through film, fashion, and dance. Showcasing traditional dance with dazzling regalia and a contemporary flair, the group presents a range of powwow styles, from fancy dance to jingle dress dance, and brings their rich cultural heritage to life with this dynamic performance of dance and song.
n At Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, the John A. Walker Center is a vibrant civic treasure that is profiled elsewhere in this issue of CML. Now in their 40th anniversary season, they offer six shows on their main season, three additional featured events, and six daytime school performances for local students throughout the region. Tickets and information are available online at walkercenteronline.org.
Haunted Illusions in the Walker Center
Friday, October 20, 2023
This evening of mind-blowing magic and comedy gets the whole audience into the act as master illusionist David Caserta has people levitating, disappearing, and reappearing right before your eyes with illusions that have been created just for this show. What better way to celebrate Halloween than with an incredible night of magic with dazzling spells, uproarious comedy and audience participation that gets all the ghosts, ghouls, and goblins into the act.
A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live on Stage in the Walker Center
Thursday, December 7, 2023
An all-new live production of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning television special that has been charming viewers since it first aired in 1965. Featuring the classic Vince Guaraldi music score and the popular Peanuts comic strip characters by Charles M. Schulz, audiences discover the magic of the meaning of Christmas right along with the Peanuts gang, live on stage. At the end, the audience is also welcome to sing along while the cast performs a concert of classic holiday songs.
Thelate John Alexander Walker (192284) was an astute businessman, generous philanthropist, and vibrant community leader in North Wilkesboro and one of the founding directors of Lowe’s Companies who later served as its president. The community center in Wilkesboro, named in his honor, is a premier venue for cultural experiences in Wilkes County and surrounding areas. In addition to its highly acclaimed performing arts series, the venue serves as the preferred gathering place for meetings, weddings, receptions, conventions, banquets, and parties. Since 1988, the Walker Center has also served as a primary stage for MerleFest, one of the renowned music festivals in the country.
Located on the picturesque campus of Wilkes Community College (WCC) in Wilkesboro, NC, the Walker Center was created to address WCC’s mission components of culture, business, industry, and training. Dr. David Daniel, president at the time, took the lead in the effort to construct the center, and WCC’s Foundation, the development arm of the institution, embarked on a fundraising drive that would raise $2.2 million.
In March of 1983, ground was broken on the building, thanks to the 1,500 donors
who contributed to the vision of the center. When construction was completed, WCC was enhanced by a 33,000 square-foot building that featured a 1,100-seat auditorium, lobby, backstage area, and management area.
The dedication and ribbon cutting were held on August 24, 1984, and featured at its opening performance were the talents of Gordon MacRae and Anna Maria Alberghetti. On October 24 of that same year, WCC Theatre held its production of Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” as a special performance for alumni.
Over the years, interest in the John A. Walker Community Center grew as more people realized the tremendous asset such a facility provides. In addition to a vibrant performing arts center and exciting school events program, the center has hosted many business and community events. The increasing demand on the facility indicated a need for expansion. In 2000, a $1.9 million renovation enlarged the ballroom, provided additional restrooms, and created a full production kitchen.
For the last 14 seasons, dynamic Director Tabitha Hudler has faithfully perpetuated the history and tradition of the venerable cultural asset that is The Walker
Center. She said, “As we embark on this commemorative anniversary celebrating 40 years, several words come to mind: reflection, aspiration, vision, purpose, support, and family. Because a group of individuals came together with a vision at the Walker Center’s groundbreaking… that vision is still a reality.
“We have had community support and commitment that is untouchable and continues to prove strong for our rural area,” said Hudler. “Our community is truly blessed to be able to have a state-of-the-art facility that hosts superior entertainment for up to 1,100 guests at a time, exquisite cuisine prepared by our in-house chef, and a pristine environment that houses the Lakey Ballroom, which is transformed [for each client]. Because of the purpose-driven aspiration behind these individuals, Wilkes County is able to have a place for the community to gather and for cultures of all shapes and sizes to come to life.”
Their autumn events are listed in our cultural calendar but, for more information, tickets, and a complete listing of events, please visit walkercenteronline.org.
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TheBeech Mountain History Museum recently opened its newest exhibit spotlighting the unique musical heritage of the mountain. “Beech Mountain Music” provides visitors with an interactive and engaging journey through the history of music on Beech Mountain.
Visitors will be transported to a bygone era that continues to this day in updated forms. Authentic musical instruments used are prominently displayed, offering a glimpse into the melodies that echoed across the mountain in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These instruments serve as a testament to the enduring musical traditions cherished by the community, as well as the skilled craftspeople who fashioned their own instruments. A “Spam-jo” or “Can-jo” on display also reveals the instrument-maker’s incredible resourcefulness.
The exhibit shows how music influenced social life on the mountain, and proudly showcases the remarkable musical talents of the Hicks, Presnell and Proffitt families, who were at the center of life on Beech at the time. Family trees on display capture these talented individuals and illustrate
how music was passed down across the generations.
QR codes accompany each instrument, enabling visitors to listen to the sounds they produce. The exhibit is further enhanced by the harmonious melodies of original mountain music playing softly in the background.
A dedicated kids table offers a hands-on experience with rhythm instruments used by children. These include spoons, washboards, and sticks, and provide younger visitors an opportunity to connect with the mountain’s musical heritage.
As part of the oldest mountain chain in North America, the Blue Ridge Mountains were largely settled in the early 19th century by Scots-Irish, who brought with them a vibrant culture centered on family and rebellion and expressed through quilting, farming, arts and crafts. They also carried a rich tradition of storytelling and making music, particularly on the fiddle.
The Beech Mountain History Museum also recognizes the legacy of master storyteller and Beech Mountain native Ray Hicks. An audio station allows museum visitors to listen to Hicks spin his “Jack Tales,”
By Karen Rieley
and there is a large replica of Ray and Rosa Hicks’ home located in the museum.
As a young boy, Ray liked to sit by the potbellied stove in the front room and listen to his grandfather’s tales. When he was about five years old, Hicks began telling stories himself. He credited his grandfather, John Benjamin Hicks, as his model and source for storytelling, although his grandmother, Julie, told tales as well.
Hicks quit school when he was 14 to work full-time as a farmer. When he was 26, he married his wife, Rosa. He and Rosa raised their five children in the two-story house in which Ray was born, built by his grandfather. Their children helped them raise cabbage, potatoes and onions, crops that Ray sold to the Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, NC.
While Hicks learned most of his “Jack Tales” from his grandfather, some of them are original. The tales are about the antics of a poor mountain boy, who might be described as an American cousin of the farm boy in “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Jack the Giant Killer.” Jack, a clever lad, served his mother and himself by outwitting
thieves, giants, witches, ogres, wild hogs and robbers to win fame, fortune and love. Supernatural beings and magic often come to help him, and his role is often two-faced— the savior of imprisoned maidens in some tales, and a trickster and murderer in others.
Some have called his dialect the “purest” example of the speech of the Scots-Irish and English pioneers who settled in Appalachia in the 1700s and spoken during the time of Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone.
Edd Presnell was also raised in a musical family and community near Beech Mountain. He was particularly interested in woodworking. He first heard a dulcimer when his future wife, Nettie Hicks, came by with an instrument her father, Ben, had built. With help from his future fatherin-law, Presnell made his first dulcimer in 1936.
Between the mid-1950s and mid-1970s, Presnell made more than 1,100 dulcimers. Nettie and he received the Brown-Hudson Folklore Award in 1974 for dulcimer making and woodcarving. In addition to making dulcimers, the Presnells hand-carved animals from wood, and they traveled around
the region to fairs and festivals to sell their work, including at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh.
Edd Presnell’s instruments are still found in the area and coveted by dulcimer enthusiasts and folklorists around the globe. He helped establish the Beech Mountain craft and instrument-building tradition.
Frank Proffitt likewise made significant contributions to American folk music. His most recognized performance was the version of the song “Tom Dooley” that inspired the Kingston Trio’s well-known 1958 recording.
Collectors Frank and Anne Warner traveled to Beech Mountain in 1937 and met Frank Proffitt, among others. The Warners recorded Proffitt singing “Tom Dooley” and several other ballads, folk songs and tunes played on the banjo and dulcimer. Alan Lomax published “Tom Dula” in Folk Song USA, and eventually included it in his Folk Songs of North America. It was through a Lomax publication that the Kingston Trio found the song.
In 1961 Sandy Paton recorded Proffitt and several other Beech Mountain musi-
cians, and he released albums on the Folk Legacy label. Proffitt started performing at college campuses and folk festivals, including the 1961 University of Chicago Folk Festival, the 1963 National Folk Festival, the 1964 World’s Fair and 1964 Newport Folk Festival.
Frank’s son, Frank Proffitt, Jr., learned many of his father’s tunes and songs and performed them periodically after his father’s death. Several of Frank Proffitt’s songs in addition to “Tom Dooley” have become popular in folk circles, such as “Poor Man” and “Going Across the Mountain.” Proffitt was also a craftsman, known for making mountain-style fretless banjos and mountain dulcimers.
Marker Memorializes Ray Hicks, Beech Mountain’s Greatest Storyteller of All Time
The Beech Mountain Historical Society recently presented a new roadside marker along the Beech Mountain Parkway near the Beech Mountain Museum to honor the memory of Beech Mountain’s very own “GOAT,” Ray Hicks, world-renowned storyteller of “Jack Tales” and National Heritage Fellow. Hicks (1922-2003), a native of Beech Mountain, entertained people of all ages through many decades with traditional stories unique to Appalachia.
He didn’t just make an impression on audiences, he also inspired other tale-tellers. In 1973, master storyteller Connie Regan-Blake met Hicks at the inaugural National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee, and she maintains a friendship with his family to this day.
Regan-Blake, who is also the host/curator at www.rayhicks.com, was master of ceremonies for the August 27 dedication ceremony during which Hicks’ marker was unveiled. Beech Mountain Historical Society President Pat Wright and town dignitaries joined ReganBlake in dedicating the marker. August 29 would have been Hicks’ 101st birthday.
The historical society was awarded a Legends and Lore Grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation to fund the cost of the roadside marker.
The Beech Mountain History Museum is open Thursday-Sunday, from 1-4 p.m., until October 22. Admission is free, with cash donations gratefully accepted.
Located at 503 Beech Mountain Pkwy, the Beech Mountain Historical Society is an all-volunteer organization that operates the Beech Mountain History Museum and is dedicated to sharing the rich and varied history of the mountain.
–by Karen Rieley
(GOAT=“Greatest of
“From Classic Traditional To Unique Eclectic, and Everything In Between!”Ray Hicks Roadside Marker unveiled by Ray Hicks' daughters, Jean Hicks Odom and Juanita Hicks Simerly, along with Connie Regan-Blake and Leonard Hicks
Art enthusiasts of all ages crowded close in the main room of the Art Cellar Gallery to catch every word from soft-spoken Noyes Capehart as the artist, author, and retired Appalachian State University professor discussed his recent exhibition, “Visual Fiction.” Capehart’s surrealist paintings lined every inch of the walls, inviting viewers on a journey through dream, memory, art history, and imagination. In a building filled with incredible pieces from some of the most talented artists in the state, however, perhaps the most intriguing and impressive creative work was nearly invisible.
Pam McKay grew up surrounded by art, taking classes as a child and studying Art Marketing and Interior Design at Appalachian State University. Her mother, Susan Hardin, owned a quilt and antique store in Banner Elk, and in 1993, Pam opened her own art gallery in the store’s basement. On opening day, the gallery featured 12 paintings.
In 1994, Pam married her longtime boyfriend, Mike McKay, and he soon joined her in running the business. The early years were lean. Banner Elk was just starting to become the prime vacation destination it is today, and the couple often couldn’t afford to keep staff year-round. Over time, more people bought homes in the area, and the Art Cellar Gallery gained the reputation as the place to go for quality
By Emily Webbart to outfit those homes. The gallery itself grew as well, moving beyond the cellar to fill all three floors of the building.
“I think we opened at the right time and the right place,” Pam said. “When I started 30 years ago, the community wouldn’t support a gallery like this out of the blue. We’ve grown with the community.”
Though a skilled artist in her own right, Pam has spent the last three decades channeling her creative energy into a different—but no less important—form of art: curation.
Appalachian art is a rich and varied genre, and over the years Pam has felt a responsibility to elevate the talented artists who call the region home. Even as the gallery grew and began exhibiting more and more high-profile artists, Pam remained loyal to the unique voices that draw inspiration from the Appalachian Mountains. Artists represented by the gallery include Capehart, who was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and has lived in Boone since 1969, painter Tony Griffin, Newland-based sculptor Pam Brewer, glass artists Rick and Valerie Beck, and the renowned Herb Jackson.
Pam and the rest of the Art Cellar Gallery team—which includes not only Mike but the couple’s two sons, Morgan and Mason, gallery director Lauren Olds and certified framer Alex Cirulis—work
hard to not only represent the best artists they can find, but to match each piece that comes through the gallery with the perfect buyer.
Beyond curating the art itself, the Art Cellar Gallery team curates experiences and relationships for both clients and artists. A working relationship between an art dealer and their client requires a certain amount of trust, something the gallery team takes seriously.
“When things first come in,” said Olds, “Pam and I are constantly like ‘who do we need to send this to?’ We have to get to know people well enough where they will invite us in their house.”
Over the years, Pam and Mike have stayed active in the community and built opportunities to open the gallery to as many people as possible. Banner Elk natives might remember the Saturday coffee talks that grew so popular the gallery didn’t have enough space for everyone to park their cars. Artist talks and exhibition openings have always been an important aspect of the Art Cellar’s business model. The gallery is always open to the artists who have partnered with the McKays through the decades, and on any given evening you might stumble on some of the most talented artists working today holding an impromptu salon.
“We’ve become friends with so many people up here, artists and collectors and
patrons, and it’s afforded us so many opportunities to be out in the community as representatives of the art world,” Pam said.
Along with running the gallery, Pam works as an interior designer with Dianne Davant & Associates, where she gets to exercise her creative gifts in a broader capacity. The Art Cellar Gallery has also always offered framing services for both the pieces they sell and any other items brought in. Clients trust precious family keepsakes and historic mementos to the Art Cellar Gallery team because they know the team’s expertise with conservation and preservation means the items will not only be protected, but restored.
“We’ve had clients pick up things and they cry,” Mike said.
The mission of the gallery to promote the arts and create a community of art lovers resonates with each employee. The whole McKay family as well as Olds and Cirulis recognize how lucky they are to do work they love, and are good at, in a location like Banner Elk.
“I knew that this business in particular was the apex for this area, and I love this area,” said Cirulis, who earned a BFA in sculpture from Appalachian State University.
Morgan and Mason McKay, for their part, grew up in the gallery. They watched as it expanded to fill the entire building
and gained recognition throughout the region for excellence in art curation. Mason recently changed to an art major at Appalachian State University and assists with framing and operations, and Morgan has taken on the bulk of the marketing work for the gallery.
Although Pam said she never wanted her sons to feel like they had to join the family business, Morgan and Mason have art in their blood. The passion each member of the team feels for their artists, clients, and the art itself is evident in the care with which they run the gallery and frame shop. And if the overflowing crowd at Capehart’s artist talk is any indication, the community is appreciative.
According to Morgan, the purpose of the gallery is to make fine art—particularly the fine art of Appalachia—available to everyone. Every background, every taste, every style, every price point can find something that resonates. Those who don’t know what they are looking for, or who aren’t ready to commit to a piece, are welcome to wander the halls of the three-story building and just enjoy the masterpieces on display.
Art from the gallery can be found throughout the country as visitors to, or part-time residents of, Banner Elk want to bring a piece of Appalachia with them
when they leave. By getting to know their clients on a deeply personal level, Pam, Lauren and the rest of the team are able to recommend new pieces and help their clients build collections that perfectly reflect their tastes and personalities. The artists who sell their art through the gallery know every effort will be made to get each piece into the right home.
Managing the needs of artists, clients, and the larger community is an art form all its own, and the Art Cellar Gallery is at the top of the field. For 30 years, they have been tastemakers for the High Country and beyond, and look primed to continue in this role for years to come.
Sky blue, earth brown green tree leaves falling in between butterflies sashaying and hummingbirds frolicking. Fall has arrived and all life is scurrying in preparation for the approaching winter.
Chestnuts are bursting from their cupules and falling to the forest floor.
Squirrels and chipmunks, scampering to and fro, are scrambling to collect them all on the brown Earth under blue sky
n Appalachian Apothekary
10543 NC-105, Banner Elk, NC 28604
828-963-8327
Facebook @ whittonanne2001/
These beautiful Light is Love Soy Candles come in Sea Salt, Orchid, and Lemon Verbena.
n Carlton Gallery
10360 Hwy 105 S, Banner Elk, NC 28604 828-963-4288 carltongallery.com
Set of 10 notecards by gallery owner Toni Carlton.
n Doe Ridge Pottery 585 W King Street, Boone, NC 28607 828-264-1127 doeridgepottery.com, or visit their online shop at doeridgepotteryshop.com
Local pottery gallery featuring potters from the High Country of North Carolina.
n Johnson County Center for the Arts
127 College St. Mountain City, TN 37683 423-460-3313 jocoartcenter.org
Unique gifts including leather luggage tags, tools with hand-turned handles, wooden bowls and boxes, and so much more. Stop by and see what’s new!
n Mica Gallery
37 N Mitchell Ave., Bakersville, NC 28705 828-688-6422 | micagallerync.com
On display and available for sale is a stunning variety of functional and sculptural ceramics, glass, fiber, jewelry, paper, prints, and paintings—each piece touched by the unique mark of its maker.
n Craftsman Cabinets & Furniture
2994 Hickory Blvd. Hudson, NC 28638 828-572-4424 craftsmancabinetsandfurniture.com
Handcrafted products made by true craftsmen and artists showcasing the talent that exists in their hometown—works you won’t find for sale anywhere else.
n The Twisted Twig Antiques & Accents
100 High Country Square Banner Elk, NC 28604 619-964-0038
thetwistedtwigantiques.com
The Twisted Twig features unique one-of-a kind repurposed lamps, handsomely hand crafted in Banner Elk. Each lamp begins with a discarded or obsolete item, brought back to life with a new purpose.
n Ashe County Arts Council Gallery 303 School Ave. West Jefferson, NC 28694 336-846-2787
ashecountyarts.org
Ashe County Arts houses a year-round exhibition space that showcases works of art by local and regional artists. The Gallery Shop features a vast selection of locally produced art and crafts.
n BE Artists Gallery 185 Azalea Cir SE Banner Elk, NC 28604 beartistsgallery.com
From wood cutting boards, rope baskets and paper journals, to wooden jewelry and colorful wall art, BE Artists Gallery has locally-created works of art or functional crafts for everyone on your list.
n It’s All About the Art Gallery
163 Shawneehaw Ave. S., Banner Elk, NC 28604 828-783-9233 | itsallabouttheart.net
Jewelry by Ona Designs is featured in the jewelry room and makes for a truly special gift.
n Sally Nooney Gallery
7137 NC-194, Banner Elk, NC 28604 828-963-7347 sallynooney.com
Sally Nooney Fused Coral and Splash Bowl.
n Mast General Store
2918 Broadstone Rd., Banner Elk, NC 28604 (Located in the heart of Valle Crucis) 828-963-6511
630 W King St., Boone, NC 28607 828-262-0000 | mastgeneralstore.com
Rise to the occasion with this beautifully simple footstool! Hand-crafted in the High Country with quality in mind. Take a piece of the Blue Ridge Mountains home with you and reach your top shelf!
n The Shoppes at Farmers
661 W King St Boone, NC 28607 828-264-8801 shoppesatfarmers.com
The Shoppes at Farmers is an emporium comprised of multiple vignettes including Turtle Old Man Jewelry handcrafted locally near Boone.
n Rivercross Made in USA
3595 NC Hwy 194, Sugar Grove, NC 28697 (Located in the heart of Valle Crucis) 828-963-8623
Facebook @ rivercrossmadeinusa/ Perfect gifts for everyone…. including you! All the works are made in the USA with these small trays crafted by local artist Bob Meier from Doe Ridge Pottery in Boone.
n Crossnore Weavers & Gallery Johnson Lane, Crossnore, NC 28616 828-733-4660
crossnore.org/crossnore-weavers/
Enjoy the everyday beauty and durability of coarse-weave napkins, woven of 100% cotton. Proceeds support the mission and children of Crossnore. All products are carefully crafted at the Avery campus and can be shipped anywhere in the U.S.
n The Old Store at Grassy Creek
710 Grassy Creek Rd. Grassy Creek, NC 28631 336-384-1220 | theoldstoregrassycreek.com
The Old Store at Grassy Creek offers a wide array of local crafts, gifts, and specialty food items.
Fine clothing and sportswear for gentlemen.
Outfitter boutique featuring local Blowing Rock and High Country merchandise, signs, home décor, Aftco outer wear, gifts and accessories.
Free-standing Buck Stoves and fireplaces, Bob Timberlake outdoor furniture, Amish-made foods, arts and crafts and home accessories and new coffee bar.
The area’s largest selection of children’s, family and adult puzzles, games, novelties and toys for children of all ages. A grandparents paradise and a parent’s go-to for rewards and bribery!
Plus... Seasonal Pavilions
Open May - October
Featuring specialty merchandise and concepts that complement our year-round stores: Flavia’s, European Sweets, Beaver Fine Art from Charleston, Grounded Works, The Blue Ridge Apothecary & Say Cheese, our gourmet sandwich outdoor café
Irresistible Children’s Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas Books, Stocking Stuffers and Very Cool Gifts. The mountain’s largest playground for children and grownups (tall children). Fun gifts from cool parents and grandparents and an “allowance buster” department for kids! We specialize in bribery, guilt, love and rewards.
Children’s
Don’t forget we are famous for our outrageous cards & beverage napkins, plus our beautiful paper goods, games & puzzles for grownups.
SouthMarke, 1179 Main Street Blowing Rock, NC 828.295.4438
(Across from Town Tavern)
Two mugs walk into a bar. One is sobbing; the other consoling: “Aww, heck! You knew he’d leave. He’s a travel mug!” ...
… A funny metaphor on how we mug enthusiasts won’t give up any of our mugs. Just counted mine. A lot. And while my travel mug isn’t going anywhere, I am. Fall beckons more hot coffee, tea, cocoa, so the thrill of the hunt is on for that “just-gottahave” new mug.
A lot of ground to cover with so many galleries, such as Carlton Gallery in Seven Devils/Foscoe; dedicated pottery studios like Mud Slingers in West Jefferson; and gifty shops, Yummy Mud Puddle in Burnsville and The Shoppes at Farmers in Boone, to mention a few.
Mugs arrived circa 10,000 BC, made of bone. Now, they’re fired pottery and stoneware, or molded ceramics, porcelain, china, and with added function—have you seen the modern drip, pour-over coffee mug from Fleetwood potter Carol E. King at Doe Ridge Pottery in Boone?
The High Country is a formidable contributor to North Carolina’s status as pottery capital of America with longstanding artisans—for one, the Bolick family (Bolick & Traditions Pottery, Blowing Rock) slinging clay since the 1800s! I just bought their new fern mug by local potter Millie Gentry Goodnight. When a mug draws you in, there’s no turning back. But, what makes a mug a mug? And what’s our fascination with them?
We have many including the High Country’s grand-priest-of-pottery, Bob Meier, owner of the distinguished Doe Ridge Pottery in Boone. “Mugs relieve stress. It’s why we can’t get enough of them,” he preaches of the thousands he’s made since he stumbled onto an App State pottery class some 45 years ago and “got hooked.” But, he insists, “I have yet to make the perfect mug.” Maybe, like many potters, this is why he never tires of crafting them and why our thirst to possess them goes unquenched.
Potters coax mugs, pulling and pushing up the clay with breath and hands, imagining the end user. I love feeling their handiwork inside a mug, running my fingers over wheel-thrown ridges. This hand-to-hand passage is symbiotic as Meier states on a poster at Doe Ridge: Buying a handmade mug creates a thoughtful connection between the purchaser who takes the time to select just the right mug and the potter who invested creative energy to achieve the mug. A potter such as Caron Baker Wike, whose works invite you to be a part of her family.
Designs showcase old lace doilies from Wike’s grandmother, pressed onto multi-hole flower-brick vases, mugs, and bowls, available at Watauga County Farmers’ Market and her studio classroom in Lenoir. One day she leaned on the lace, leaving a mark on her hand, heart, and her pottery: “Mugs share our first thoughts of the day, so they’re important, not just as useful items but as memories, too.”
Story andphotos
by Gail Greco
Indeed, mugs are emotional with pride of ownership, and we can be uneasy when someone grabs it. “Hey, that’s my mug…” Sound familiar? Nevertheless, mugs are art we can behold and touch. “Some say the mug is too nice to use. I want them to use it,” smiles Becki Henderson-Gow (Creston), one of 14 other potters at Doe Ridge. Right now, shoppers are fawning over her rendition of ‘old spit-tobacco’ mugs, a throwback to potters chewing tobacco and then spitting on clay before firing. “I don’t chew tobacco,” laughs Gow, of the updated mocha-diffusion antiquing technique made with apple cider vinegar and an oxide.
Teresa Pietsch makes floral mugs exhibited at Mica in Bakersville, another one of our state’s fine-arts galleries. “I love adding movement,” she describes of her scalloped base mugs resembling a wavy skirted tree stump. Wild mushrooms and flowers bloom on her mugs, achieved by monoprinting, whereby line drawings are transferred via newsprint onto wet clay. Her mugs have an added bend near the handle. “My hands hurt (an echo of many potters) so I designed a comfortable grab for me, that then works for everyone.”
A mug can be iconic and reminiscent, such as Leslie Bradsher’s mountain mugs at Hands Craft Gallery, Boone, depicting a muted Pisgah National Forest mountainscape near her studio. I couldn’t help but put them in front of Boone photographer
Rachael Salmon’s grandfather mountain photo, also at the gallery, to bring the mugs even closer to home.
A mug can cite a cultural issue, such as Nancy Graham’s (Blowing Rock) beehive mugs, recognizing the plight of bees. They’re selling out fast at Doe Ridge. Mugs also make faces to express themselves. The old folk-art form with distorted faces on mugs was latched onto by law enforcement reporting criminals as mugs, a word similar to the Swedish mugg and the German mokke that mean face. Maybe today’s face mugs depict how a potter is feeling on a given day!
Even though we refer to our mugs as “my coffee cup,” mugs are theoretically a cup, but a cup is not necessarily a mug. Mugs vary, averaging four inches tall and thicker than cups, so no pinkies up! Straightsided mugs with wide bases (not narrowbottomed as cups) are most common. A rolled lip atop a handmade mug prevents dribbles; no saucer needed.
Mugs hold beverages hotter for longer, especially with narrower mouths than cups (many in the shape of a chiminea), and handles are friendlier, from multi-finger grips to one-finger loops for that grab-andgo swig; many even have a thumb rest for easier tilting. At Rivercross in Valle Crucis, I bought a little mug with a big four-finger handle—oversized for the mug, but just right for the hold. It’s by Keith Martindale of Seagrove, home to our state’s largest
concentration of potters. “Handles are personal,” notes Nate Fields of Doe Ridge, who also crafts mugs without any handle at all in the style of the Japanese yunomi Boone resident Judith Phoenix has stiff fingers, so she was prescribed daily exercises including warming her hands first. “So, my round bellied mug (by Hannah Sidner of Morganton, at Artwalk, Blowing Rock) allows me to multi-task, drinking my coffee while heating my hands.” Same goes for many folks buying the Mast General Store’s (Valle Crucis and Boone) popular warming mugs with mitten-like sleeves.
Mugs talk to us, including as science reports—how their style and color can render our coffee bitter or sweet. Inspirational mugs with messages, like the ones I found at The Shoppes at Farmers, that read Stay Wild, See the Good, Choose Happy do the same. And mugs can change your mood with the store’s unique line of black-andwhite mugs that turn colorful when a hot beverage is added.
Amber Bateman, executive director of the Watauga Arts Council, told me that we have so many potters in the High Country, it’s hard to say just how many. Both the Watauga Arts Council and Ashe Arts Council are terrific resources for connecting with our local potters, including Cheryl Williams, whose mugs are available at her studio, Grassy Creek Pottery, and down the street at The Old Store at Grassy Creek (Ashe County).
Meanwhile, I’ll continue my pursuit of the perfect mug. And here are just a
handful of upcoming opportunities should you want to do the same!
n Ashe Arts Council’s “Art on the Mountain” event on September 23, and Gallery Crawl on October 13
n The Watauga Arts Council Center –pottery exhibit for the month of October
n The annual Spruce Pine Potters Market –October 14-15
n Annual mug show at Doe Ridge Pottery – November through January
n Hands Craft Gallery in Boone; The Art Cellar Gallery in Banner Elk; BE Artists Gallery in Banner Elk; It’s All About the Art in Banner Elk; Carlton Gallery in Seven Devils/Foscoe; Mica Gallery in Burnsville; Southern Highlands Craft Guild at Moses Cone Manor; and Johnson County Center for the Arts in Mountain City, TN
n Blue Ridge Craft Trails—Visit blueridgeheritage.com/blue-ridge-crafttrails/ to expand your pottery pursuit throughout our region.
OnAugust 1, 2022, Suzanne Livesay became the new Executive Director of the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country (ATHC) as the unanimous choice of both the search and executive committees of the theatre’s board of trustees. Search chair Bill Pelto said, “Suzanne brings to us the verve of an educator, the expertise of a manager, and the instinct of an artist.”
Formerly, Livesay was vice president of education and community engagement at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida, the sixth largest performing arts center in the U.S. She fell in love with the High Country in the 1990s when she was a featured soloist at The Farm House in Blowing Rock while in college. Her rave reviews have been unanimous. David Jackson, President/CEO of the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, said, “The fully rejuvenated spirit of the Appalachian Theatre has hit its stride under the direction of Suzanne Livesay. She has prioritized community access and involvement since her first day on the job. Suzanne and her team have worked tirelessly to add programs and events that interest people of all ages and backgrounds.”
Boone Mayor Pro-Tem Edie Tugman was equally effusive. “What a difference a year makes! Let me count the ways. Every encounter with Suzanne is loving her energy of bringing something new, reaching out to include, participating thoughtfully in the community and being a presence that brings the Appalachian Theatre to the front in a most positive way. What a joy to work with her in all facets she has brought to her work.”
Cheryl Cutlip is Director of Carolina Snowbelles, one of over a dozen local user groups. She said, “Working with Suzanne is an absolute joy! Her knowledge and understanding of what goes into creating a large production makes for easy pre- and post-production meetings. She’s approachable and immediately makes herself part of our show. We love calling the Appalachian Theatre home and Suzanne makes us feel welcome.”
As a way of introducing readers to this dynamic addition to our community, CML posed some questions of Livesay after her first year on the job.
CML: How has it gone so far, and what have been your favorite moments since becoming Executive Director?
Livesay: So far, it’s been a fun ride! Quite a few moments come to mind. Hanging out at the High Country Jazz Festival with Todd Wright, Carmen Bradford and Emmet Cohen hearkened back to my days as a performer. Our summer musical theatre camps scratched my proverbial educator/director itch and provided a chance for students to experience performing on our stage. Our Gala was an especially exceptional evening and helped folks see the venue in a different way than they may have expected. Hitting that first-year milepost was also pivotal. You learn a lot over the course of a year and that experience makes planning for the next year that much easier.
CML: What are the strengths and challenges you see in the theatre?
Livesay: Our location is spectacular. Students and faculty can walk from campus and when folks visit downtown, they have plenty of restaurants and retail to enjoy before a show or movie. Though COVID dealt theatres a hard blow, we re-opened five months prior, so we don’t have the preCOVID numbers with which to constantly compare ourselves. That’s a real source of stress for many theatres. We get to write our own post-COVID story, and the past year has been an exciting chapter. As far as challenges, a major challenge is that many folks don’t realize we’re a nonprofit theatre and can’t thrive without continuous support from the community, both financially and by attending events.
CML: You’ve joined the Boards of both the Downtown Boone Development Association (DBDA) and the Economic Development Commission (EDC), and just received the Boone Chamber of Commerce Wade Brown Award for Community Involvement. What’s next for you?
Livesay: I enjoy participating with these boards and am also participating with the Boone Chamber’s Watauga Leadership Development cohort this fall. I wear many hats at the theatre, so need to be strategic about how much I commit to until we establish a bit more organizational stability and grow our staff.
CML: Your Gatsby Gala was a huge success with some saying it was the best fundraiser they’ve ever attended. What other surprises do you have in store in the months and years ahead?
Livesay: What a fun night! My entire staff had a blast too, so it sounds like the ideas we had worked. I have a very creative team that collaborates well, and our wheels are always turning. Our goal is to create experiences whenever possible. Notable upcoming events include our 85th Birthday Bash on Tuesday, November 14, which will include a classic feature film at 1938 prices, ticket specials for those who purchase onsite that day, and many surprises. We also piloted our “New Year’s Eve @ the APP” last year and plan on a “Noon Year’s Eve” showing for families and a memorable date night event for college students, adults, and couples.
CML: Anything else you would like to tell our readers?
Livesay: The Appalachian is the kind of theatre where folks have wonderful memories. I’m delighted that the community continues to embrace it (and me as its leader) and make new memories with us. For more information about the theatre, visit AppTheatre.org. | *It should be noted that Keith Martin, CML’s Cultural Arts editor and contributor to this article, currently chairs the board of the ATHC.
We have so many talented writers in our region, specializing in topics that appeal to all kinds of readers! In this installment of Book Nook, we introduce you to several recently released books: one non-fiction local history title, and three fiction titles for the young people in your life (especially if they love horses!). We hope you’ll support our local authors, booksellers, libraries and book exchanges!
Published by The History Press, a division of Arcadia Publishing
—Reviewed by Edwin
AnselThere’s a pyramid up here in the mountains?
Wait. There are two pyramids??
What I’ve got here is Michael C. Hardy’s most recent, the “Hidden History of the Toe River Valley.” The key word is “hidden,” and a welcome word it is, in several ways.
It’s a clue that this book is not an ordinary history. Not a list of the Kings of England and their dates. Not Famous Battles and their dates. Nor the Treaty of Utrecht (1474), the Defenestration of Prague (1419), nor, horribly, the Diet of Worms (1521). A little of that stuff goes a long way. Rather, Hardy has gathered the stories of ordinary people, whose family names you’ll see every day up here in Yancey, Mitchell, and Avery counties, and who shaped this place and the way we live in it today.
There’s another word for Hardy’s brand of hidden history. It’s “lore,” the kind of history that is shared within a family, between neighbors, around a camp fire. When you have lore, you also have connection, that warm embrace when you know that you are indeed of a place, and not merely in it. You’ve walked in the footsteps of the Overmountain Men who whupped the British at King’s Mountain. You’ve dipped a toe in Lickskillet Creek and know how it got that name. You’ve visited the graves of Charlie Silver, all three of them… And did you know there’s an Egypt township nearby? And why not, we have two pyramids!
In addition to being the best kind of history, it’s the best kind of rainy day reader. Pick it up, open to any page, you’ll be engrossed. Rowdy children in the house? Read aloud to them. Looking for a short road trip, a picnic destination, a little adventure? Fan the pages, grab one, and make plans to do whatever is suggested by that page, because it’s going to stop raining eventually. You may end up visiting the Clinchfield Railroad tunnels. Getting ice cream in Little Switzerland. Peering through the bars of the old Avery County Jail. Or crossing an item off your bucket list: “Visit the Pyramids.”
Bottom line, Hardy offers a deeper connection to the place you already love, a bit of light entertainment, and even an unconventional kind of guidebook. Borrowing words from a writer who has a hidden history of her own (P. L. Travers, author of “Mary Poppins), Hardy has produced “a small unpretentious book, but as full of meat as a sausage is.”
Order your copy at michaelchardy.com, at arcadiapublishing.com, or from your local bookseller.
Publication date: September 25, 2023
Melanie Sue Bowles, Author
Published by Trafalgar Square Books
—Reviewed by Tamara S. Randolph
In this sweet Middle-Grade novel, author Melanie Sue Bowles spins a captivating tale about a thirteen-year-old girl (“almost 14!” as our young heroine, Kip, likes to remind the people in her life), and her unwavering commitment to a bedraggled, one-eyed donkey named Liberty Biscuit. As an only child growing up on her family’s peach farm, she spends her childhood surrounded by loving parents and grandparents, and constantly nurtures her fascination of the natural world around her. But in Kip’s mind, one major thing is missing: a pet to keep as a companion. The reason that her father refuses to grant Kip her one wish is hidden from her. As are some family secrets. But once revealed, the farm and family are forever changed—for the better.
Though fundamentally a story about an adolescent girl with an “old soul” and her relationship with her family and the animals she fights hard to help, the book touches on a number of other important topics: animal cruelty, bigotry, advocating for those who can’t speak for themselves, valuing hard work, staying true to oneself, and living a life of purpose. Throw in a subplot or two that add intrigue and mystery, and you have a very compelling, fun-to-read book.
Author Melanie Sue Bowles of Wilkesboro, NC, knows a thing or two about “falling hard” for animals in need and weaving those needs into a more purposeful existence. She once stumbled across the quote, “The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose,” and it became the philosophy by which she has lived her entire adult life.
Unwanted, elderly, and abused horses became her purpose, and she and her husband, Jim, began Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary with one horse in need on five acres of land in rural Florida. Their facility has since grown to hundreds of acres in the North Carolina foothills, where rescued animals can roam as natural herds. Over the years, Melanie and Jim have intervened on behalf of over 300 downtrodden horses, many of them coming to the sanctuary to live out their lives in peace and with dignity. Their story has been featured on PBS and in three books Bowles has written about the Sanctuary’s animal residents.
The young readers in your life (ages 9-13) will be glad you’ve come across Melanie Sue Bowles’ latest book of fiction, “Liberty Biscuit.” And this much older reader/writer is glad she did, too.
Pick up your copy at your local bookseller, bookshop.org, or other online booksellers. Learn more about Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary at horsesofproudspirit.org.
n If you’re looking for a wonderful selection of books for children of all ages, visit the Incredible Toy Company and check out the popular “Wall of Books.” Their ever-expanding collection includes everything from board books to chapter books. The store offers a Saturday Story Hour for children as well. The Incredible Toy Company is located at 278 Shoppes on the Parkway Rd. Suite 20 in Blowing Rock, NC. incredibletoycompany.com
In the late 1960s, many young people were searching for answers to the questions of life. Some sought those answers in drugs or on other dangerous paths, but others found another Way, one which continues to have an impact on faith and communities across the country and even here in the High Country.
The 2023 film Jesus Revolution tells the story of a transformative moment in American history, a moment which radically affected the landscape of faith in America and beyond. Based on the autobiographical book co-authored by well-known pastor Greg Laurie, Jesus Revolution is both inspirational and honest.
Rather than a biopic of any one of the individuals instrumental in what became known as the Jesus Movement, Jesus Revolution weaves together the stories of Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer), pastor of a stagnant church; Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), a radical hippie preacher; and Laurie (Joel Courtney), a young man seeking to find his identity. Together, they shape and are shaped by the radical Christian movement that brought hippies into sanctuaries, baptized believers at the beach, and encouraged new, and sometimes uncomfortable, ideas.
The film is framed around a reporter (Devon Franklin), trying to understand the phenomenon taking place in California. He begins by interviewing Laurie, who then recalls his own faith journey as well as the surprising turns that have created a remarkable spiritual transformation. However, the film does not leave out the less inspirational parts of the story, as the characters, based on real people, suffer from the failings and foibles endemic to our species. Lest anyone confuse Frisbee with Roumie’s other well-known role as Jesus in The Chosen, the charismatic preacher is portrayed as all-too-human, flawed even as he helps others. The acting is all compelling; Grammer’s Smith is at once enthusiastic about the exciting transformation in his church and relationships and discomfited by human challenges. Courtney is equally believable as a damaged teen seeking freedom in drugs and rebellion, as a child hurt again and again while trying to find connection and family, and as a passionate believer eager to make a difference.
Jesus Revolution is refreshingly un-preachy, its story honest and inspirational, ranging from funny to painful, without sugar-coating or rewriting the past. While some historical events have been scooted around for narrative cohesion, it is still a fair portrayal of the real people, places, and ministry that continue to influence everything from outreach efforts to worship music. As the film accurately demonstrates, music groups like the pivotal Love Song originated with the Jesus Movement, and their impact continues to be felt in both commercial music and worship services around the world (for more on this, the 2021 film The Jesus Music is an outstanding history). Unsurprisingly, the film’s soundtrack is fantastic, featuring both the iconic popular music of the era as well as the emerging “Jesus Music.”
The film does not try to manipulate the viewer; just as the depicted non-traditional services encourage visitors to “come as you are” without judgement, the film is neither heavy-handed nor judgmental. It is,
however, inspirational, with beautiful scenes that show the life-changing and humbling power of faith. When church members complain barefoot hippies will dirty the church’s carpet, Pastor Smith’s solution, as depicted in the film, is unforgettable.
Although the film’s events take place in California, they certainly spread, including to our own High Country. Toward the end, when young people seeking to be baptized declare they have traveled from Texas, there is an allusion to the massive Explo ’72 event in Dallas, a “Christian Woodstock,” which drew more than 75,000 people and is often seen as the zenith of the Jesus Movement. North Carolina’s beloved Billy Graham spoke several times during the festival, and his endorsement was key in the acceptance of the young people and their way of following The Way. Graham is seen in one of the many pieces of archive footage used in the film. Greg Laurie, who continues to minister in California, can be heard daily presenting A New Beginning on 106.9 The Light broadcast across the region from Black Mountain. The on-going ministry of The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which includes 106.9, local ministries like Samaritan’s Purse, as well as the praise and worship services that take place across the region every week, are all integrally connected to the story told in the Jesus Revolution. The film is a must for anyone interested in the history of the Jesus Movement; believers and skeptics alike will be drawn into the story of this moment that created a movement. The depiction of counter-culture lifestyle does include drug use, but the film is otherwise appropriate for all audiences and is currently streaming and available for purchase or rental.
Autumn color in the High Country is a sight to behold! Avery County photographer Sharon Glatthorn specializes in nature photography—here, she shares some of her favorite fall shots and how she captured the beauty you see on these pages with her Nikon D90.
Land Harbor Entry:
“This shot was taken on entry into Land Harbor. The lake was so still, I couldn’t resist capturing these reflections. My settings on my Nikon D90 were f/8, 1/250 exposure time.”
Land Harbor Lake:
“Land Harbor lake can be such a peaceful place from the shore or in a small boat quietly fishing for trout. Hobbyists sail their little RC (radio-controlled) sailboats as well on the lake during a nice Sunday afternoon. There’s even a sandy beach for swimming in the summertime. I took this shot one recent November, mid-afternoon. I panned the camera to make a panoramic.”
Red Leaves:
“I don’t think I had ever seen leaves this red. This sugar maple in Boone was gorgeous! Taken at f8, manual for 1/125 exposure.”
Linville Gorge:
“This view is of Linville Gorge from Hawksbill. I shot it with my photography class when we hiked up to Hawksbill one day. 22mm, f/20, manual 1/100.”
“This beautiful setting is in Banner Elk, NC, taken with settings of f/6.3 at 1/160 exposure.”
“There’s a kind of magic in Sharon Glatthorn’s photography. It seems to be attributable to her keen photographer’s eye, combined with the talent she’s developed over many years and her skill with software tools that create beautiful effects. In the end, Sharon renders images that captivate!” - Rebecca W., Author and Artist
Vast herds of elk, also called wapiti, once roamed the southern Appalachian Mountains, which explains why we have places called Banner Elk, Elk Park, and Elk River. Due to excessive hunting, they disappeared. Today, a husband and wife living in Newland, NC, are raising elk with hopes to repopulate the High Country. Bert Valery and his wife, Donna, bought sixty acres in Newland that they named Sweet Water Ranch and now have a small herd.
Elk are the largest and loudest member of the deer family, which also includes moose and caribou. All the males have a large, and heavy, pair of antlers, which they shed yearly. It is estimated that close to one million elk are living in the United States today, with the largest elk population— around 300,000—in Colorado.
Like many, the Valerys moved here from somewhere else. Bert lived in a Florida beach town; Donna lived many years in Jamaica and Costa Rica before moving to that same Florida beach town where she met Bert. They relocated to Seven Devils in 2015, and now live in Newland on top of a mountain raising elk, growing Christmas trees, tending to their vineyard, and making cider from their almost-100-year-old apple trees.
“Bert cannot just sit still, even at 83,” says Donna.
The Valerys started their herd at the end of 2020 when they purchased a male, and shortly after, two female elk. Last summer both females gave birth to male calves, known as “spike” elks until they have true antlers. This summer, two more calves were born.
The few existing North Carolina elk farms are raising these animals to either be eaten or sold to hunting resorts where hunters shoot them for sport, perhaps mounting their heads and large antlers on their wall. The Sweet Water Ranch herd is different: these elk will never be hunted nor eaten.
“From my research, there were thousands in this part of North Carolina, just a few hundred years ago,” Bert explains. “I want to see if I can help start a rebirth here. I got interested in raising elk when visiting Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and saw a real elk herd,” says Bert with excitement. “In the winter, feed is left for the elk and they show up by the thousands. It has grown into a popular tourist attraction with 10,000 to 15,000 elk.”
“We named our bull ‘Braveheart’ because of our area’s Scottish heritage,” explains Donna. “The mothers are ‘Mead-
By Bob and Becky Griffinow’ and ‘Dancer.’ Their sons are ‘Prancer and Ziggy.’ The babies don’t have names yet. We don’t know their sex—it will be months before we do.”
Because they are raising them to be “wild,” the animals do not socialize with people. Except for Braveheart, the herd keeps its distance from people. That makes it difficult to determine the calves’ sex.
“Even though they were born last summer, we did not know the yearlings were males until their nubs started to appear this spring.” Donna says. “In fact, the mothers kept them hidden from us until they were a month or two old.
“The males lose their antlers every spring,” adds Donna. “By mid-summer they have grown back larger but, like our fingerprints, none are the same. Until just before they fall off, the antlers are covered with a fine ‘velvet’; just like our skin, it bleeds if cut. A pair of antlers can weigh forty pounds. Males’ necks are very thick and muscular to hold their heavy heads.”
“Our females weigh 500 to 700 pounds and stand about five feet tall (to their shoulders),” explains Bert. “Males are much bigger. Braveheart weighs 800 to 1,000 pounds and is about six feet tall, but when you add his neck and head, he is closer to nine feet.
“Compared to Jackson Hole, elk here have a slightly different mating season— called the rut. Here, rutting begins in late October and continues through December,” Bert says. “All four of our elk were born the first week of June—after a sevenmonth gestation. Males are quite docile except during rut. The females are not aggressive either, but all of them are protective of the babies.”
When the Valerys bought the property in 2019, the only structure present was a small A-frame hunting cabin. Since then, they’ve built a house and barn, plus fenced about fifteen acres for the elk. The herd has access to a creek, a meadow with a few old apple trees (an elk favorite) and a large, wooded area for shade. They live in a natural environment, eating grasses, plants, leaves and tree bark—what they would find in the wild.
The state had to inspect the general area and the state-required eight-foot-tall fence before any elk could use it. Since they now have multiple males that need to be separated, a second area has been built and is awaiting state inspection. The new area has a large pond so the elk can cool off in the summer.
Daily, elk eat about three pounds of food for every one hundred pounds of
their bodyweight. They prefer to eat from their surroundings, but store-bought feed maintains them during the winter. Bert estimates his seven-member herd averages a ton of feed per month—at $700 a ton. The feed is always available in a steel feeder that can hold up to three tons, which eliminates the need to feed them daily. The feeder alone was $6,000 and a second one is on order for the new area.
As you can see, all this costs money! And the elk don’t make any. Retire? Never! To help support the ranch, the Valerys have turned to other ventures. Two years ago, they began planting Christmas trees. “I planted 1,000 the first year, 1,000 last year, and 1,000 this year,” says Bert. “Trees can be harvested in five years.”
A one-year-old Christmas tree seedling sells for eighty-five cents. A two-yearold tree costs $1.50. Once they mature, they can sell for upwards to $100, depending on the height. The Valerys hope to sell their first crop in 2026. “Buying the twoyear-old trees takes a full year off the time it takes before they can be sold,” adds Bert. “They also have a better survival rate.”
Donna has her own project—she planted a small vineyard, with over 1,500 young grapevines. This year, she plans to make wine as gifts for friends, and for their
own personal use. As the vineyard grows, she hopes to sell her grapes to a local winery. She spends ten or more hours a week tending the vineyard, trimming and tying vines. She also bottles cider made from an old apple orchard on the property.
“The Christmas trees and wine sales are a future source of income,” says Bert, “so we can continue to raise the herd.”
Bert and Donna are opening Sweet Water Ranch to the public and allowing elk viewing from a large grassy knoll. Next year, they hope to offer sunset parties with food, wine, and music.
People are welcome to view the elk, but the Valerys request that you e-mail them to schedule an appointment at BertValery1@HotMail.com. Sweet Water Ranch is located off HWY 194, 1.3 miles south of Newland.
By Tamara S. Randolph
The bog turtle. The spruce-fir moss spider. Heller’s blazing star. These are just a few of the dozens of endangered or threatened species that call the Blue Ridge Mountains “home.” Expand the range to include all of North Carolina, and nearly 250 animal species and more than 975 plant species are considered at-risk.
The reasons so many organisms are imperiled in N.C., and around the world, are many, but broadly related to the loss of healthy habitat due to human activity: pollution, urbanization, wetland drainage, and natural areas being converted to agricultural land, to name a few. Take for example one of our most endangered native species in the southern Appalachian Mountains, the spruce-fir moss spider (Microhexura montivaga). This tiny arachnid, sometimes called “the world’s smallest tarantula,” lives in moist, shaded mats of moss and liverwort in our high-elevation forests dominated by red spruce and Fraser fir.
Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forests have declined dramatically over the past century due to several known causes, including extensive logging and the introduction of the highly invasive, non-native Balsam woolly adelgid, an insect which literally sucks the life out of Fraser fir trees. Add to the mix an increase in “acid rain,” toxic precipitation that occurs when sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX)—most of which come from the burning of fossil fuels—blend in with water molecules. Acidic clouds often enshroud the mountain tops and are shown to stunt the growth of high altitude evergreens. Red spruce trees are further impacted by the loss of their Fraser fir companions; the stronger fir trees are known to shield the weaker spruce trees from the damaging winds that occur at higher elevations.
This perfect storm of contributing factors has depleted the tree canopy in our spruce-fir forests, meaning more sunlight hits the forest floor, which has led to fewer mats of moist moss and therefore severely reduced populations of spruce-fir moss spiders. But why does the extinction of a peppercorn-sized spider really matter?
“One reason,” offered Elizabeth Moore of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “is that, because species co-evolve as part of a larger entwined ecosystem, one extinction can create a cascade of other extinctions and/or other detrimental impacts that compromise the functioning of that ecosystem.” In essence, everything in nature is connected. And these natural, interconnected systems provide vital services to humans, “like pollination, food, clean water, clean air, medicine, and protection against the release of viruses and diseases,” Moore added.
The passage of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 (signed into law by President Nixon on Dec. 28, 1973) was an important historical event that began a global movement to conserve various species of fish, wildlife and plants facing extinction. What ultimately led to the ESA was increasing public recognition that human activities were causing harm to the planet, and thus humankind. For numerous plants and animals, such as the bald eagle and green sea turtle (both native to the southeastern U.S.), the ESA has been a literal lifesaver. Since the Act became law 50 years ago, it has prevented an estimated 99 percent of listed species from going extinct. What’s more, over 100 species of plants and animals that once appeared on the endangered species list have been delisted based on recovery, or down-listed from endangered to threatened based on improved conservation status.
The long-term monitoring, research and investments that lead to an organism being listed provide protection for at-risk species, as well as plans for their recovery. Vulnerable species may also be protected by local and state laws with additional classifications and listings beyond “endangered” or “threatened.” Scientists, government agencies, NGOs, politicians and everyday people must continue concerted efforts to reverse the trend of habitat and species loss.
This year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency whose primary responsibility is the “conservation and management of fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the American people,” has finalized revisions to certain regulations under the Endangered Species Act that will help improve the conservation and recovery of imperiled ESA-listed species in the coming decades, as growing impacts from climate change and invasive species cause habitats within species’ historical ranges to shift or become unsuitable.
“As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, “new revisions [to the Act] will help strengthen our efforts to conserve and recover imperiled species now and for generations to come.”
“Think of an ecosystem as a giant game of Jenga: remove too many of the supporting blocks and the whole thing tumbles down.” Elizabeth Moore/NOAAGray’s lily, pictured here on Roan Mountain, is critically imperiled globally. The Threatened Bog Turtle, USFWS Above left: The endangered Heller’s Blazing Star, a plant found on Grandfather Mountain, is considered to be at high risk of extinction. eol.org
n Get to know your local protected species and their connections within an ecosystem; educate others about these rare and special organisms.
n Snakes have gotten a bad reputation over the years, yet are extremely important to their ecosystems. Most of the time these “scary” animals, such as the timber rattlesnake (listed in N.C. as a Species of Special Concern), will keep to themselves if left alone.
n Stay on trails when hiking through forests or near waterfalls, and leash all pets that hike with you (you’ll help protect sensitive species, such as the rock gnome lichen and the Ruffed Grouse).
n Do not relocate the rocks in streams; rocks serve as hiding places and homes for many animals, including the Eastern hellbender, a species of Special Concern.
n Plant native plants and return barren lands to native landscapes that attract wildlife and beneficial insects, like the monarch butterfly, a current candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act.
n Never collect plants on public lands (there are hundreds of at-risk native plants in our region).
n Keep wetlands intact; do not drain, fill or pave over them, as they may be home to myriad animals that rely on wetlands to survive, such as the endangered bog turtle.
Sources:
fws.gov; ncwildlife.org
grandfather.com; endangered.org iucnredlist.org
appvoices.org/2020/09/28/vulnerable-species/ ncnhp.org content.ces.ncsu.edu/endangered-species
Good news for sock wearers who want to lighten their ecological footprint: socks have gone “circular”!
Above: A Lees-McRae wildlife biology student introduces a Southern hog-nosed snake at a recent educational event in Banner Elk. This non-venomous snake lives in the Piedmont and Coastal regions of N.C. and is state-listed as a Threatened Species.
Circular products are defined as products that have reduced the need for virgin resources and are designed with the end of their life in mind. Each year in the U.S., over 14 million tons of textiles are sent to landfills. But the good news is that many clothing companies are improving their efforts to reduce textile waste and the natural resources required for their products.
One such company is Smartwool®, known for its high quality Merino wool socks and apparel. The company is working toward using “100 percent regenerative, recycled and responsibly sourced renewable materials by 2030.” And with their Second Cut Sock Recycling Program, Smartwool is transforming old socks into brand new products.
A number of popular shops in the High Country are participating in the Second Cut program this fall, including the Mast General Store in Boone and Valle Crucis; Footsloggers in their Boone location; CBS Sports in Morganton; and Mahoneys Sports in Johnson City, TN. Simply bring your clean, used socks (threadbare are welcomed, all colors and materials) and drop them into a designated Second Cut collection bin at these store locations.
Contributing to the partnership is Morganton, NC-based, Material Return, who coordinates collection pickups and repurposes used socks and other textiles into new, postconsumer goods like beanies, dog beds, fiber fillers, insulation—and new socks. To date, the company has recycled nearly four million pounds of materials otherwise destined to be waste.
This season, recycle your old socks, and take a stand for circular fashion.
If you can’t visit one of the participating retailers above, send your clean, used socks to Material Return, Attn: Smartwool Second Cut, 647 Hopewell Rd., Morganton, NC 2865. Learn more at: smartwool.com.
WE ARE FULLY INSURED AND PROVIDE CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE.
Hunter’s Tree Service, Inc. has served the High Country since 1980. Our mission is to provide you with skilled tree care and outstanding customer service, while caring for one of your most valuable resources. As your complete tree specialist, we offer a range of services:
POB
Pruning
Stump grinding
Bucket
Crane service
Pre-construction consultation
The fall season on Grandfather Mountain (September and October) in Linville, N.C., is certainly a favorite for many as the crisp cooler temperatures usher in a leaf color show that lasts for many weeks.
In locations where just a few tree species dominate, like in New England, color displays are intense but short. Diverse forests, like those found around Grandfather Mountain, mean a longer display with more variety in colors.
From the high, windy, spruce-fir forests to protected gorges, the Blue Ridge Mountains sustain some of the greatest biodiversity in North America. More species of plants can be found in the mountains of North Carolina than in any other area of similar size in North America.
Guests to Grandfather Mountain in late September and October are treated to a 360-degree vantage point of the fall leaf change. The first colors can be seen from the top of the mountain in late September. Then the red, orange and yellow hues make their way down the flanks in October. Even in late October, when the color is past peak at Grandfather Mountain, its lofty heights serve as the perfect spot to see color in the valleys below and in the distance.
Here are some insider tips for getting the most out of your mile-high excursion to Grandfather.
n Book your timed entry and tickets in advance at www.grandfather. com! Fall can be a busy time on the mountain, and you don’t want to miss out.
n Wanting to hike? Plan ahead and choose the right trail via the website. Also, make sure to check the weather before your visit and dress appropriately (with multiple layers, including a waterproof jacket).
n Check the schedule of many daily programs, included in admission, before your trip.
n Take part in the Fall Color Ramble, a 30-minute guided walk with park naturalists focused on the leaf change, daily at 1 p.m. Sept. 30 –Oct. 8. And, an All-Day Ramble is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14.
n Bring some layers in the car. Fall days at Grandfather are usually crisp and cool!
n Look for fresh ways to see the color show. The views up top are nice, but also check out the vantage points from the viewing areas around the bear and elk habitats. The Woods Walk is also nice!
n Pack a picnic, or plan to eat lunch at Mildred’s Grill.
n When is peak color? Leaves begin changing color at the highest elevations and gradually work down the slopes into the valleys over several weeks. Typically, the first fall colors appear on Grandfather Mountain in mid to late September. Peak color toward the summit is usually early October. The lower sections of the park peak in midOctober.
Find more tips at www.grandfather.com/fall.
Hawk Watch | through Sept. 30
During September, guests are invited to join the mountain’s naturalists as they count and celebrate the annual spectacle of fall raptor migration. Participants can observe the migration daily at Linville Peak or Half Moon Overlook, weather permitting. Included with park admission.
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The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com
Grandfather Presents: Brad Panovich | Sept. 21
This program is part of the Grandfather Presents speaker series in 2023. WCNC-TV Meteorologist Brad Panovich will present “How the Mountains of North Carolina Affect our Weather in Every Season of the Year.” Additional cost.
52nd Annual Girl Scout Day | Sept. 23
Girl Scouts are invited to join the park’s naturalists for a funfilled learning adventure on Grandfather Mountain. All Girl Scouts and troop leaders are admitted free with proof of membership. Advance registration for many of the day’s programs is required.
Fall Color Ramble | Sept. 30 – Oct. 8
Enjoy a short, guided nature walk that highlights Grandfather Mountain’s fall colors. These rambles take place daily, weather permitting, and are included in park admission. The excursions begin at 1 p.m. and typically last for 30 minutes. Included with park admission.
All-Day Fall Color Ramble | Oct. 14
A full day of fall color activities, including naturalist talks and guided nature walks. Included with park admission.
Beary Scary Halloween | Oct. 28
A day of nature programs about animals that some consider creepy and crawly! This fun-filled celebration includes an opportunity to trick-or-treat on the mountain and watch special Halloween enrichments be given to the animals. Included with park admission. Plus, children in costume are admitted at half-price.
Sunrise at the Swinging Bridge | Nov. 25
Enjoy the rare opportunity to visit Grandfather Mountain outside of regular operating hours and see a sunrise from the top of the mountain. Advance registration and tickets are required as we expect this event to sell out. Tickets go on sale Oct. 16.
Learn more about these special events and many others by visiting www. grandfather.com/event-calendar.
By Paul Laurent
It’s a warm September day at the Elk Mountain Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The leaves haven’t quite started to change colors yet, but there’s a crispness in the air that speaks to the imminent arrival of fall. Soon a river of tourists and ‘leaf lookers’ will flood these mountains to take in the stunning change of seasons, but I’m here to watch for a different sort of visitor.
Every September tens of thousands of hawks migrate down the Appalachian Mountains. A north-facing overlook atop a tall mountain is the perfect place to witness their passage. I scan the horizon with my binoculars looking for the first hawks of the day. Eventually, I can make out a dozen or so tiny specks rising in interlocking spirals above the mountains. They are still too far away to see with the naked eye, but they’ll be coming closer soon. The hawks continue to rise higher and higher into the air, and more keep joining from the bottom until the column of spiraling raptors numbers forty-two. Finally the top birds shoot clear and soar effortlessly southward, visible now, but still far away. The hawks continue to stream past, but far east of me. I can tell that they are all Broad-winged Hawks, but only from years of experience.
These spiraling groups of hawks are called ‘kettles’—an odd name, but if you were to imagine a giant invisible pot of boiling water in the sky, the hawks are the little bubbles rising to the top of the pot. These kettles can have dozens and in some cases hundreds of hawks in them. The interesting thing is that these birds are not flocking together. Each hawk enters the kettle on its own, leaves on its own, and is going to its own destination. Think of it like rush hour on the highway. There are lots of cars going in the same direction but none of them know each other. When one hawk finds a thermal and begins to climb, other hawks in the area will notice and fly over to take advantage of the same thermal.
These hawks are migrating south to wintering grounds in Central and South America—a journey of 4,000 miles! They are actually rather lazy migrants, and these birds of prey have found a remarkable technique to make
their journeys easier. The rugged mountains of the Appalachians run north to south from Canada to Georgia. When the sun rises, it warms the sheer granite cliff faces and rocky balds, and these sun-warmed rocks heat the air above them, creating thermals of warm, rising air. A hawk can catch one of these thermals and climb effortlessly thousands of feet into the air, then shoot out like a giant paper airplane and glide for miles. When it comes to another thermal the hawk repeats the process, and traveling like this it can go on average 69 miles per day. These birds will hit the Gulf Coast and turn west to stay overland for the entirety of their journey. There are no thermals over the open water, so the hawks make the long detour across Texas and through Mexico. I’ll see some of these same birds in Costa Rica when I lead a tour there in November. Some will keep going all the way to Brazil. After this epic journey, each hawk will spend the winter within a one-mile radius of where they stop.
Here at the Elk Mountain Overlook, another kettle starts to form, a bit to the west of the previous formation. This one has twentyfour Broad-wings and a lone Red-shouldered Hawk so far. The thin black and white bars on the tail of the Red-shouldered Hawk as well as a slightly different wing shape make it stand out from the others. There are over a dozen species of hawks and falcons that migrate through these mountains. The vast majority of them are Broad-wings, and they are by far the most likely to form kettles, but it’s not uncommon to spot Bald Eagles, Cooper’s Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Northern Harriers, Merlins, and on a really good day a Golden Eagle. Peregrine Falcons sometimes streak past as well. The more hawk watching you do, the easier it becomes to pick out the different species, even from a distance. Each species has a distinctive silhouette and body shape, so even before you can make out colors or markings it’s possible to have a good idea of which species is flying by.
Hawk watching can be very hit-or-miss. Some days the winds are coming from the
wrong direction, or it’s too cool and cloudy to form thermals. Some days I might see 3,000 hawks, but they are all specks on the horizon, too far to ID without binoculars or a spotting scope. But the tradeoff for those days are days like today. The kettle continues to grow and birds at the top of the kettle break off and head straight towards me. Before long, dozens of Broad-winged Hawks are passing overhead. I can see the rust-colored bars on their chests, the thick, white band on the dark tails, and the black outer edge of the wings. The juvenile birds have more muted brown markings—the tail has thin light and brown bands, the chest is more brown than rusty, and the crisp dark outline of the wings is still just a smudgy brown.
The hawks begin to circle above me; they have clearly found another thermal (possibly formed by the dark pavement of the overlook parking lot) and in minutes there are dozens of hawks circling overhead. As they rise more birds stream into the bottom of the kettle and the sky becomes a whirling kaleidoscope of raptors circling each other as they climb. The scene is both chaotic and supremely balanced, almost choreographed in its disorganization.
A few minutes later the hawks stream south and the skies are clear yet again. There will be another kettle forming sometime soon, and I turn my binoculars to the horizon once more.
Paul Laurent and wife Amanda are expert birders and naturalists. They offer small group and private guided birding tours in the High Country, Costa Rica, and many other places across the country and around the world. Learn more at www.EpicNatureTours.com or email them at info@EpicNatureTours.com.
For opportunities to observe the annual hawk migration at the Grandfather Mountain nature park, you can join park naturalists as they count migrating raptors every day through September 30 at Linville Peak or Half Moon Overlook (weather permitting; included with park admission). Learn more at grandfather.com/ event/hawkwatch/.
Blowing
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By Rita Larkin with photos courtesy of the BRPF
Spanning an impressive 6,300 acres, Doughton Park Recreation Area is a jewel on the Blue Ridge Parkway with the atmosphere of a quiet natural retreat within the larger bustling national park. Thanks to nearly 30 miles of trails, two historical cabins, mountain overlooks, areas for picnicking and camping, The Bluffs Restaurant, a gift shop, and educational programs, the park holds a day trip (or weekend) for all types of explorers, including history buffs, families, and experienced hikers.
Cabin fever: Two 19th century cabins pass down chapters of the area’s history. Brinegar Cabin is easily accessible from the Parkway and showcases early farm life in Appalachia. On weekends from spring through autumn, park rangers host interpretive demonstrations at the cabin, such as spinning. To delve deeper, stop by the gift shop to pick up a copy of Brinegar Cabin: A Historic Resource, which includes information from members of the Brinegar family.
From Wildcat Rocks Overlook, visitors can spy Caudill Cabin, a one-room log home that sits far below in Basin Cove. For a closer look, adventurers can hike the Basin Creek Trail (8.2 miles roundtrip) and step inside the cabin, one of the few structures that survived a devastating flood in 1916 that claimed lives and structures.
Paying respects: As the Parkway was constructed across the mountains, it inevitably passed by the final resting places of early mountain settlers. In fact, there are more than 50 cemeteries along the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Grassy Gap Cemetery is one of the largest. Visitors can stop to admire the peaceful setting that surrounds the cemetery with its 65 graves that date back as far as 1875.
Parkway champion: More recent history includes the renaming of the area, once known as Bluffs, in honor of the late Congressman Robert L. Doughton who was an advocate for the creation of the Blue Ridge Parkway in the 1930s. A plaque near Wildcat Rocks Overlook details his significant contributions.
Activities galore: To nurture a love for the outdoors, stop by the Kids in Parks kiosk at the gift shop to pick up free activity brochures (in Spanish and English) designed to make
your excursions even more fun. Children can use the guides to discover hidden gems of nature that are often overlooked and try out animal-inspired exercises like hummingbird hand-swings and lizard pushups. Kids can also become National Park Service Junior Rangers at the visitor center.
On the trails: For a leisurely hike that promises wildflowers and views of grazing cows, take the Bluff Mountain Trail near the old Bluffs Lodge. Many folks make the hike easy by only following the trail through a meadow to the rocky outcropping, opting to skip the entire 7.5-mile route.
Time to eat: At The Bluffs Restaurant, children can choose from chicken tenders, a mini burger, and a vegetable side plate. For dessert, try the hand-dipped ice cream or cobbler. If a furry friend is part of your family, you’re in luck. Dogs are welcome at the picnic tables outside the restaurant.
Terrific trekking: Hikers who are out for a serious challenge can traverse a nearly 17-mile loop by stringing together the Flat Rock Ridge, Bluff Mountain, and Cedar Ridge trails. The trails are mostly moderate in difficulty and pass Brinegar Cabin, the park campground, The Bluffs Restaurant, and Basin Cove Overlook. For a free trail map with additional routes, visit the visitor center and gift shop.
Gear & guides: The gift shop offers walking sticks and hiking medallions, water bottles, mini-backpacks, and rain coats to make your hike more comfortable and fun. It’s also a great place to pick up detailed guides, including the book Hiking and Traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway, by Leonard M. Adkins.
Join the pack: If you’d prefer to hike with new friends, link up with the Alleghany Sparta Trail Association for a scheduled hike. They often trek in the park and even offer trail maintenance days so people can give back to the beautiful park. Visit spartatrails.org to learn more.
And no matter which itinerary suits you, be sure to get your National Parks Passport “canceled” with a limited edition “Destination Doughton” stamp at the visitor center and gift shop.
To learn about more activities at Doughton Park, visit DestinationDoughton.com.
Doughton Park is located at milepost 238246 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Sparta, N.C. Although the Parkway is closed to the north to undergo much-needed repaving and to the south for a bridge project, visitors can still reach this natural wonderland via a detour along NC 18. With less through traffic, Doughton feels even more like a tranquil escape. Visit BluffsRestaurant.org for a detour map.
Acreage
Doughton Park is the largest recreation area on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here is how it compares:
Doughton Park Recreation Area = 6,300 acres
Julian Price Park = 4,200 acres
Moses H. Cone Memorial Park = 3,500 acres
Blue Ridge Parkway total = approximately 93,400 acres
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With the dog days of summer over and cooler weather here, the fall is a great time to fish in the High Country. One of the main reasons that fishing improves is the temperature of local waters. As the local streams cool the trout become more active. Also, the fall sees less fishing pressure on local streams. From hunting to football to holiday festivities, these all take time away from fishing. Another plus to fall fishing is that the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) stocks the Delayed Harvest waters in October. These are the only waters stocked in the fall. Now that you know that fall fishing can be great, knowing what fly to use can make or break the day. Hopefully the following tips will help you have a fun fishing day.
Experienced fly fishers know that the best way to determine what to use is to stand by the trout stream and take some time to observe. This allows the angler to try and determine what the trout are eating. Trout can sometimes be very selective. They may key in on a certain aquatic insect and an imitation of that insect is the only thing that will work. This is one of the reasons why experienced fly fishers carry so many flies. The angler has to be ready for anything. To further complicate fly selection some of these insects may only be observed for a short period of time.
That being said, there are a few rules of thumb that can make fly selection easier. The first thing to remember is that 90 percent of a trout’s diet is composed of sub-surface aquatic insects or nymphs. These aquatic insects spend most of their life underwater and they are present year round. Also, since the trout hold near the bottom and are in their comfort zone, they are likely to try anything that looks like food. When you don’t see any feeding on the surface, use a nymph.
When choosing a nymph, size is usually more important than exact imitations. As stated, when the trout are underwater they will likely eat anything. However, if all the other nymphs in the water are size 18, trout are not likely to eat a size 12 nymph. Some go-to nymphs are Copper Johns, Prince Nymphs, Bead Head Pheasant Tails, and Micro Mayflies.
As with most fly fishing, presentation is important. The angler needs to make sure the nymph is getting down to where the trout are holding in the current. If you are not hitting the bottom occasionally, you are not getting deep enough. Also, the nymph needs to drift naturally. Don’t let the current pull the fly line and drag the fly. Since the trout is feeding underwater, it is sometimes hard to know when the fly has been eaten. To increase your odds of successfully setting the hook, you can use a strike indicator, which is just another name for a small bobber. If the strike indicator hesitates or goes under, set the hook. The fly may have just hit a rock but it also may be a trout.
If you become a good nymph fisher you will catch more fish but some of us really prefer seeing the trout take a floating or dry fly. There is nothing like seeing the trout come up and take your fly off the surface. Also, when a trout takes a dry fly from the surface it usually takes
it fast. This is because trout feel vulnerable at the surface. Because they do take the fly fast, the trout usually hook themselves so that setting the hook is not as critical. Again, presentation is important. You do not want the current to drag the dry fly. If your fly looks like a little water skier, the trout will ignore it. Also remember that the winged insects may only be on the water for a short time. If the trout are not keyed in on a winged insect on the surface you might as well be practicing your cast.
Even though dry fly selection is not an exact science, there are a few absolutes that will help. During the early fall most of the insects hatching will be light in color. Some patterns that work well are Light Cahill’s (size 16 to 18) and Dun Variant (size 12). As the fall progresses flies get darker and smaller and are dark grey or brown. Some effective fall flies are Grey Midges, Blue Winged Olives, and Adams (all sized 18 to 20). Another effective fly is the Caddis and it is particularly productive on the Watauga River. A number of years ago an entomologist from Penn State who was doing research for a book took stream samples on the Watauga River and found three different types of caddis.
If the fly fisher has done their due diligence and taken the time to observe what is happening and sees surface feeding but no insects, the trout are most likely feeding on insects in the surface film. This happens when the insect is transitioning from an underwater nymph to a winged insect. The nymph comes to the surface and splits open so that the winged insect within can fly off and mate. After splitting open, the insect’s wings need to dry before flying. Trout take advantage of this and sip them from the surface film. An excellent type of fly to imitate this stage of the insect’s life is a parachute pattern. These flies sit lower in the surface film instead of on the top. As with the dry flies the colors go darker during the fall. Some good dark choices are the Parachute Adams or Parachute Blue Winged Olives in smaller sizes.
Even though dry flies work best when there is a hatch occurring, they can still work under certain circumstances. If you really want to use a dry fly when there is no surface activity, fish the faster water. Another type of fly that works well, particularly in early fall, are Terrestrials. These flies imitate land-based insects that fall in the water by accident. They include Beetles, Inchworms, Black Ants, and Crickets.
Another fly that works particularly well on newly stocked hatchery fish does not even imitate an insect. It is an imitation of a fish or salmon egg. These egg patterns, like nymphs, need to be fished deep. This willingness to eat egg patterns must be hardwired in their DNA since hatchery fish have never seen a salmon egg. Whatever the case, egg flies work well and add to the fall fishing fun.
SUPPORTING HIGH COUNTRY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
The Party Barn's mission is to provide an outstanding culinary and service experien upscale mountain surroundings while benefiting the High Country Charitable Foundation through patron donations
The Party Barn’s mission is to provide an outstanding culinary and service experience in upscale mountain surroundings while benefiting the High Country Charitable Foundation through patron donations.
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Does your family enjoy hiking, biking, horseback riding, paddling and exploring our region of the world? Follow our “Trail Reports” in each issue for some of the latest developments on trails and public lands, and to learn about opportunities throughout the area.
Paddling along the River “Trail”: New River Conservancy Hosts the New River Canoe Race
On September 23, the New River Conservancy (NRC) sponsors the 41st Annual New River Canoe Race and Family Float. For the past 40 years the race has been sponsored by Friends of High Country Parks; the Friends organization transferred management of the event to the New River Conservancy to ensure this popular annual paddle on one of our region’s most scenic rivers will continue for many years to come.
The 2023 event will be held in Jefferson, NC, with event headquarters at Zaloo’s Canoes. This Ashe County tradition is sponsored by generous donations from community sponsors, and proceeds from the race support the restoration work at the Wagoner Access being done by the New River Conservancy. Individuals and families are invited to compete, float for fun, or just spectate and enjoy a beautiful day on the banks of the New River. The event, which runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., will also include music, food trucks, festival activities and merchandise.
Paddlers can bring their own canoe or kayak, or rent one from Zaloo’s for a discounted rate. Zaloo’s also provides a free shuttle on the day of the race. The average time for new paddlers on this five-mile stretch of river is around one hour. Categories include Novice, Expert and Special Class, for women, men and youth. The Special Class offers options for participants to paddle or float with unique, themed water crafts and wear costumes.
For more details on the various categories as well as fees, times and registration information, visit newriverconservancy.org/event/41stannual-new-river-canoe-race/. The race takes place rain or shine. Zaloo’s Canoes is located at 3874 NC Hwy 16 S, Jefferson, NC, 28640, Zaloos. com.
N.C. Governor Roy Cooper announced $8.5 million in grants to fund 19 local parks and recreation projects across the state through the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF), including a $500,000 grant to Paddy Mountain Park in Ashe County. This grant will be used for park infrastructure, including the parking lot, restrooms, pavilion, picnic tables, and a trailhead for the Northern Peaks State Trail (NPST). Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) is coordinating the construction of the NPST in partnership with state and local government agencies, and applied for the PARTF grant.
“This investment by PARTF in Paddy Mountain Park and the Town of West Jefferson is incredible,” says NPST Coordinator Jordan Sellers. “I could not be more thankful for what this will do for the community and the Northern Peaks State Trail as a whole.
BRC celebrated the groundbreaking of the Paddy Mountain Park trails on August 4. Those trails were made possible by a Recreational Trails Program grant, and BRC is in the planning and permitting phase for the rest of the park facilities.
Any donations made to the NPST and Paddy Mountain Park will be matched by PARTF, the Recreational Trails Program, and the Complete the Trails Fund. To learn more about this project or donate, visit blueridgeconservancy.org/northern-peaks-trail.
Throughout the High Country, you’ll find opportunities to run, walk and ride—just for fun, or with greater purpose. Lace up your sneakers for the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation’s annual 5k Fun Run/ Walk, scheduled for Saturday, October 28 at 9 a.m. in Blowing Rock. This special race continues to be the Foundation’s biggest annual event, generating donations through race registration and sponsorship. Learn more at Hcbcf.org or at their Facebook page @ hcbcfoundation/
Another popular 5k fundraiser is the annual High Country Turkey Trot, held on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, to benefit the Hospitality
House of Northwest NC. Hospitality House, a regional non-profit homeless services agency, works in seven rural NC counties (Watauga, Wilkes, Ashe, Avery, Alleghany, Mitchell and Yancey) providing housing, shelter, hunger relief, homeless prevention, street outreach, counseling and crisis assistance. This popular running race (or fun run/walk) takes place at Clawson-Burnley Park on the Boone Greenway Trail. For details about this year’s event, and more on Hospitality House, visit hosphouse. org/turkeytrot.
If you’re an avid hiker and want a more in-depth understanding of the natural wonders that can be found up on Grandfather Mountain, explore one of the many hiking trails with a Grandfather Naturalist. These hikes are personalized, educational Alpine hikes that will cover topics based on your interests including ecology, mountain history, endangered species, wildlife, trail building and more. Guided hikes are available weekdays through October, weather permitting. Reservations must be made two weeks in advance. Visit Grandfather.com for more information.
The NC High Country is a great area to explore on horseback, too. At Leatherwood Mountains Resort, you can participate in guided mountain trail rides atop seasoned trail horses or mules, and experience the spectacular fall scenery in an unhurried manner. Young or old, experienced or not, all riders are welcome and receive personalized attention and instruction from the helpful “Wranglers” at Leatherwood. Be sure to call ahead and reserve your horseback adventure at 336-973-5044. Riding lessons are also available. Leatherwood Mountains is located at 512 Meadow Road in Ferguson, NC. Leatherwoodmountains.com
Scott Elliott recently joined the Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) as the organization’s Director of Development. For the past nine years, Elliott served as the Superintendent of the Watauga County School system, receiving numerous awards and recognitions in that time.
“Blue Ridge Conservancy is delighted to have Scott Elliott join our
team as Director of Development,” says BRC Executive Director Charlie Brady. “Scott brings a genuine commitment to land conservation to the organization. He understands how land conservation builds healthy communities, and his skills in leadership and relationship building are exceptional.”
In addition to his new role at BRC, Elliott has served on the board of directors of a number of community organizations including the High Country United Way, the Watauga County Library, the Advancement Board of the Reich College of Education, the Public Schools Partnership (a collaboration between App State University and P-12 public schools in Northwest North Carolina), and the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce, where he previously served as board chair. In 2021 he was named the Chamber’s Citizen of the Year. Elliott and his wife, Laura, an environmental educator at Parkway School, have a deep respect and love for the North Carolina mountains, and the Conservancy staff is excited to have Scott, Laura, and their children as part of the BRC family.
The Blue Ridge Conservancy partners with landowners and local communities to permanently protect natural resources with agricultural, cultural, recreational, ecological and scenic value in northwest North Carolina. blueridgeconservancy.org
A very special 105-acre property near the Blue Ridge Parkway. One that almost defies description!
The streams, cascading falls, views, the palette of colors abounding all year long, and the location in the highly sought-after High Country all contribute to making this a unique place for you to build your peaceful home away from the busyness of life.
Old logging roads, horse trails, and wildlife trails make it easy to enjoy all that this jewel offers. Rhododendrons, wildflowers, mountain laurel, and many other native plants are yours to enjoy. Sunrises and sunsets will enhance your morning coffee and afternoon tea, while many streams provide several places to relax, meditate, read a good book, or dip your toes in the cool water.
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His name is “Doc.” He’s quite famous…at least amongst his companions, peers and closest supporters. He’s even had a book written about him. Two books, in fact.
Doc is a rescue horse, a 25-year-old Belgian Draft Horse to be exact. That’s around 73 “people years.” And, for the past four “people years,” he’s been enjoying his celebrity at Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary Horse Rescue in Glendale Springs, North Carolina, operated by Ann and John Lisk.
Although Doc is the sanctuary’s most famous resident, he’s only one of 21 rescue horses, ponies, donkeys and even dogs whose lives were transformed from desperation and near death to health and happiness. That’s all thanks to the Lisks, plus their devoted, all-volunteer staff who donate their labor at Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary.
“We could not do this job without our volunteers,” noted John Lisk. “They’re mostly retired professionals, many with post-graduate degrees, who help shovel horse manure, drive tractors and fix fences. They come rain, shine, snow, and ice. They blanket horses in 10-degree temps with 30 mile-per-hour wind. They all say this is a special place and they look forward to coming.”
Were it not for the Lisks, their volunteers and the support of donors who contribute to their 501(c)(3) charitable operation, Doc and his other friends would have perished by starvation, ne-
glect, ill health, cruelty…or might have been sold by profiteers for slaughter across the borders of Mexico and Canada. Fortunately, the U.S. has strict laws against these practices. But other countries do not. So, too often, that’s the sad fate of thousands of horses each year.
Doc’s story, along with that of his rescue companions, are all poignant, inspiring and available online at www. southernsunfarm.com. It’s there you can make donations, plus find links to purchase those two books about Doc written by Pam Lather and illustrated by Anna Welsh. There’s also a link to pet portrait artist and retired App State Art Instructor Jeri Allison. “Jeri is one of our best volunteers. Her work is gorgeous, and she is very generous with her revenue sharing. She is another example of our volunteers who not only give of their time, but also of their individual talents,” said Lisk.
Another frequent volunteer at the Lisk rescue farm is friend and supporter Ginny Burton, a seasonal resident of Elk River Club. “I love to visit, take in the breathtaking mountain views, and watch those pampered and beautiful horses now enjoying their lives. This is a true story of how John and Ann turned a lifealtering tragedy into a passionate, lifelong goal to provide a safe and loving haven for hapless and unwanted horses. They are most deserving of the monetary help needed to carry on their mission,” Burton offered.
Indeed, the whole story behind Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary is especially inspiring. Ann and John Lisk had always been horse lovers, rescue supporters and Animal Welfare champions in both Florida and Ashe County, NC. They relocated permanently to Ashe County and officially launched their horse rescue farm in 2001. That was five years following the passing of their 15-year-old daughter, Kasey, who was washed over the headwaters of Besty Falls on the Lisks’ Glendale Springs property while trying to rescue her Golden Retriever pup, Beau. Although Beau survived, Kasey did not. Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary has forever since been a living legacy to her memory.
More recently, however, rescue farms like the Lisk sanctuary are becoming few and far-between. Available rural lands are shrinking. And, with recent rising prices, the costs of essential care and feeding have placed a major burden on rescue operations, forcing some to shut down and the remaining to feel the increased demand to take on more animals.
Despite its excellent reputation, Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary is no exception. COVID took its toll on the global economy as well as supply chains; not to mention support for non-profits like the Lisk farm. They’ve benefited from some success via experienced grant writing and from wealthier donors. But
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unfortunately, those factors alone don’t provide a long-term solution to an ever-growing need to accommodate more animals and provide top quality care.
“Our costs have increased 40 percent,” Lisk noted. “Recently, we were asked to take in 57 animals that we had to turn away due to lack of space and funding. When we can’t take in a horse, we try to help find a soft landing spot. Our goal for 2023-2024 is to build a new, large, centralized barn with 10-12 more stalls, a covered farrier area and veterinary space, wash stalls and more.”
To help boost awareness, the Lisks have created or participated in several fundraising events including Derby Day at the Old Barn Winery in West Jefferson (oldbarnwinery.com), plus Frontier Days and horse appearances in two Saloon Studios Live films (saloonstudioslive.com). These events, along with publicity from print and social media, help stoke interest and inspire donations.
Truly, Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary is a heaven for horses and their kin who desperately need rescuing. But, like other rescue farms, it requires dedicated donors to keep the gates of this heaven open. “We can’t save them all, but we will help the ones that we can,” said the Lisks. “As it says in our literature, Saving one horse won’t change the world, but it will surely change the world for that one horse.”
Contact Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary at 336 - 9778966 or ann@southernsunfarm.com. Donations can be made by mail to PO Box 111, Glendale Springs, NC 28629, or at www.southernsunfarm.com.
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TheBoone Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), an auxiliary of the United States Air Force, has reason to boast. Two CAP cadets from this squadron recently completed the 2023 Flight Academy, sponsored by the Asheville Composite Squadron, as winners of the prestigious Richard Augur Flight Academy Scholarship. C/1st Lt Addison Fitzpatrick of Avery County (Banner Elk) and C/SSgt Joshua Crenshaw of Watauga County (Deep Gap) represented the local squadron, participating in fifteen hours of dual instruction and requisite ground training culminating in their solo flights on May 19 and June 2, respectively.
These two young cadets are impressive. C/SSgt Crenshaw heads this fall to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona, Florida, a school nationally recognized for aeronautics, where he will study aeronautical engineering. He plans to one day work for NASA or perhaps in the private aviation industry. Crenshaw became interested in the CAP Cadet program after hearing a speech delivered by Fitzpatrick at a “Gavel Club” event—she inspired him to join the program. His only regret, he says, is that he didn’t join sooner. His advice to other students is to “get involved early” in this beneficial program which teaches leadership, aviation, and emergency services management.
C/1st Lt Fitzpatrick begins this school year as a dual enrollment student at Avery High School and Caldwell Community College (CCC&TI) with her eye on an appointment to the United States Air Force Academy upon graduation. Fitzpatrick is enthusiastic about flying. Listening to her older sister, who is a recent graduate of the Air Force Academy, has only fueled the
By Trimella Chaneyflame within her to fly. She has no hesitation when asked how she sees her future, stating that she hopes to receive a pilot slot after graduating from the Air Force Academy and train to fly “heavies” (large transport planes) or bomber planes. This experience would transfer easily to working for an airline one day.
The Asheville airport where the cadets trained is a very busy airport; both cadets had to learn to be very proficient in communicating with tower and ground control and with flying the pattern with large commercial aircraft. C/SSgt Crenshaw recalls an instance during a particular high traffic day when the aircraft landing ahead of him stayed on the runway too long and he also had an aircraft immediately behind him in a tight traffic pattern. He had to fly an emergency go-around before landing. Both cadets agree that the landing part of flight can be anxiety-producing. However, after as many as 100 landings they feel confident in their skill and ability to land the Cessna 172 aircrafts safely.
Crenshaw and Fitzpatrick offer high praise for their mentors and instructors who are often either retired military pilots or retired commercial pilots. A point system is used to determine when the cadet is ready to “solo.” Learning how to handle stalls, traffic patterns, and emergency radio frequencies earn the students the necessary points. Demonstrating good judgment is referred to as “air sense” and the instructors must see evidence of this in the cadets.
The Civil Air Patrol is America’s premier public organization for carrying out emergency services and disaster relief missions, diverse aviation and ground services, and promotion of air, space and cyber power. “CAP’s cadet program transforms
youth into dynamic Americans and aerospace leaders through a curriculum that focuses on leadership, aerospace, fitness, and character,” writes 1st Lt Jenny Fitzpatrick, Commander of the Boone Composite Squadron.
These two outstanding young cadets exhibit leadership, intelligence, skill, and commitment to the Civil Air Patrol, and the Boone Composite Squadron shares in their hard-won successes. There is no doubt that they will continue to soar. The Boone Composite Squadron is located at 274 Hunting Hills Lane in Boone, NC. Facebook@BooneCAP. You can meet some of the cadets when they volunteer at this year’s Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk.
Interested in becoming a CAP cadet?
If you know a young adult between the ages of 12 and 18, Civil Air Patrol has many opportunities for them to explore. Every year cadets from all over the United States go through flight training, at very inexpensive tuition and sometimes free of cost. Funded through the Air Force, CAP prepares cadets to be pilots for the military or for major airlines.
For those not interested in flying, CAP cadets also work side by side with law enforcement and emergency responders to help save people’s lives. Civil Air Patrol is responsible for over 90 percent of Search and Rescue missions that are tasked by the Air Force in the United States. With quality training, cadets in CAP often work with, and even lead, EMS, law enforcement and military personnel to help save lives of those who are in need of help.
For a young person wanting to enlist in the military after high school, or seek admission into a Military Service Academy, the Cadet Program of the Civil Air Patrol can give them a competitive edge.
Learn more at gocivilairpatrol.com.
– contributed by Jenny Fitzpatrick, 1st Lt
Every fall, young people flock to the region to continue their education at our region’s award-winning institutions of higher learning. CML would like to share just some of the recent achievements and developments at our primary universities and community colleges in the area, and highlight some noteworthy student successes.
A transformative expansion is underway for Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute’s Occupational Training Facility on its Watauga Campus beginning this academic year. The expansion will meet the needs of the growing nursing classes with additional space for the program, simultaneously helping the High Country community address the healthcare worker shortage. In May of 2023, the school celebrated its largest nursing class to date. Among the graduates was Chelsea Kilgore, elected as president of the 2023 associate degree Nursing class, who stands out for following in the footsteps of both her mother and grandmother by pursuing a nursing degree at CCC&TI. The thirdgeneration graduate later joined the nursing staff at Watauga Medical Center in Boone. The 10,000-square-foot expansion will also create space for construction trades classrooms and labs in an effort to meet the growing need for skilled trades workers in the region.
CCC&TI has recently implemented success coaching for students on each campus that offer guidance, support and information to students throughout their college career. As part of this effort, Success Coaches are offering a new Resilience Academy Workshop series which covers a variety of topics ranging from mental health and well-being to life skills and study skills, and more. The goal of the series is to strengthen students’ “resilience skill set” that will pre-
pare them to enter the workforce or continue their education.
The Watauga campus Culinary Arts program is connecting with the community through public dining options and continuing education courses for all ages. These efforts provide the community with a chance to learn new cooking techniques and experience the professional campus kitchen. The campus Culinary Arts Program also offers “Carry Out Cuisine” as an opportunity for locals to enjoy exquisite cuisine at an affordable price.
Starting the year off strong in early 2023, Lees-McRae College was recognized among the top 50 colleges and universities in the country for having the best online bachelor’s degree programs according to the U.S. News and World Report. Ranking at 42, the school leaped significantly from its 2022 ranking and holds the spot as the only private North Carolina higher education institution in the top 50.
Also in early 2023, Lees-McRae became the first BearWise college or university in the country. The national education program emphasizes living responsibly among American black bears and requires the campus to report bear sightings and interactions while securing attractants and educating students on bear safety.
In April, the college’s Online Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education was ranked among the top five programs of its kind for affordability in the country and was honored as the only N.C. school to make the list.
The college has also been recognized for its excellent support of transfer students by earning a position on the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society Transfer Honor Roll. Securing a spot on the honor roll for a third time required the school to meet 40 different criteria relating to transfer students.
Over the summer, the college hosted the
North Carolina Wildlife Medicine Symposium, a professional continuing education conference for wildlife medicine practitioners. Its fifth time hosting the event, Lees-McRae highlighted its Wildlife Biology and Wildlife Rehabilitation programs among professionals networking and continuing their education.
Standing out in sports, the Lees-McRae ski and snowboard team attended the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association’s National Championship. The team came home with snowboarder Lilly Kamp celebrating as Women’s Boardercross National Champion in only her second season on the slopes with the team.
The local non-profit, NC Tech Paths, has been partnering with Wilkes Community College to lead students into information technology programs and eventually high-paying careers. The program has a strong focus on training for jobs with remote work options, encouraging graduates to remain in the region and contribute to the local economy. The partnership features student work with real employers leading to high placement rates after graduation. General graduation and completion rates for the school have more than doubled in the last five years, climbing from nearly 20 percent to over 50 percent.
Beginning this autumn, WCC offers free classes for high school students, who make up roughly 45 percent of the student body. Where previously students would have course fees and book costs, the Career & College Promise program is now fully funded by the school’s foundation.
The national nonprofit organization, SkillsUSA, which prepares both college and high school students for careers in trade, technical, skilled service and health occupations, hosted its National Championship to recognize excellence in career and technical education, with 13 WCC students and six
faculty in attendance. All students placed within the top 29 in the country.
The college has opened a new cosmetology lab to serve the growing program and provide students with a professional and renovated space. Another current focus of WCC administration is expanding the Health Science programs, as they’re noticing an increased need in the community for healthcare employees. WWC’s associate degree Nursing program recently received national accreditation from the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation, which recognizes the diversity of its program mission, curricula, students, and instructors. WCC partnered with Ashe County Schools to host the first annual Pathways to Wellness Event in August. The event brought together over 50 professional educators, officials and community members to discuss mental health concerns.
The faculty at Mayland Community College are standing out this year for their exceptional work with students. Monica Carpenter, Associate Vice President of Workforce Development, represented Mayland as a graduate of Leadership North Carolina’s 30th class. Carpenter was recognized by Leadership NC, a program that aims to inform and engage emerging leaders, for her commitment to Mayland. The school granted its Teaching Excellence: Faculty Member of The Year award to Misti Silver of the Human Services Program for her transformative influence on students and innovative teaching.
Mayland’s Nursing program made headlines as the college celebrated a 100 percent success rate among their 2023 Associate Degree in Nursing graduates as each student passed the Next Generation National Council Licensure Examination. The school also spent the summer connecting with young community members through sum-
mer camps on topics ranging from space and geology to EMT and CSI professions that give children hands-on experience while learning about future career options.
Progress has been made on a number of unique programs, including the Blue Ridge Boutique Hotel in Spruce Pine, NC, at the old Pinebridge complex, where 32 guest rooms are currently open to visitors to the High Country region. Construction continues throughout the complex, which will include a public restaurant that will be tied to a new culinary program (debuting in fall of 2024), a cosmetology center and a 2,000-seat convention center, all in support of expanded hospitality and culinary arts programming at MCC. Nearby, the Earth to Sky Park continues to attract visitors to its new planetarium and other updated facilities that offer environmental education programs to the community.
One of the greatest recent accomplishments for Mayland Community College, according to Dr. John Boyd, President of MCC, was achieving a 100 percent debtfree graduation rate for their 2022 and 2023 students. “We have a standing rule that says that no student will ever be turned away because they can’t afford to pay.”
A high-ranking representative of education in the High Country, Appalachian State University has received national and regional recognition from publications such as the U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, Forbes and others for its academics, benefits for student veterans, first-year experiences and other qualities. App State’s Walker College of Business Master of Business Administration program has also been highlighted by CEO Magazine and Fortune magazine for the program’s return on investment for graduates.
For the seventh consecutive year, the university leads the nation for its number
of alumni who are National Board Certified teachers, and for the 14th consecutive year, it has ranked among the top 10 in the large public schools category as a Military Friendly School.
Construction for the first academic building of the university’s Innovation District, the Conservatory for Biodiversity Education and Research, is now underway. The facility will offer classroom, office, laboratory and event space.
Two App State degree programs in the Department of Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment—an undergraduate building sciences program and the master’s program in technology—have earned the new Zero Energy Design Designation by the U.S. Department of Energy. This supports the Appalachian Energy Summit continuing toward the 2025 goal of $2 billion of avoided energy costs among UNC systems and its partners, which already stands at $1.75 billion avoided.
The largest National Institutes of Health grant in App State’s history, at $1.6 million over five years, is supporting enzyme research that could aid in the development of advanced and safer therapies for diseases such as cancer.
App State’s award-winning and first-ofits-kind digital textbook rental system has been utilized by 99 percent of the student population, saving students over $5 million in the past academic year.
The University’s new Hickory campus welcomed students for the first time this fall. More than 100 undergraduate degree programs are available to students attending App State at the Hickory campus. Hickory campus admission applications for the spring and fall 2024 semesters are now open.
Learn more about each of these institutions of higher learning at cccti.edu, lmc.edu, wilkescc.edu, mayland.edu, and appstate.edu.
Excitement at the Watauga County Courthouse was high. Railroads were all the rage, and the plans of extending a line through Watauga Gap at Blowing Rock, across the county, and on into Tennessee to link up with the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, was seen as the road to success. Farmers and miners could get their products to market. Travelers could have better access to the area, along with an easier way to transport goods into the region. It was 1854, and there had been talk of a railroad passing through since 1850. When the route was eventually constructed as the Western North Carolina Railroad, it bypassed the area altogether. An easier route was chosen.
When it comes to railroads in the High Country, almost all of the many proposed lines were never constructed. In the confines of Avery County alone there were seven proposed lines that were never built, including the Marion and Cranberry (1871); Southern and Western Air Line (1889); Cranberry and Linville Railroad (1890); Mica Belt Railroad (1890); Marion, Linville, and Cranberry (1905); and the Avery and Northwestern Railroad (1915), along with one proposal that never even went far enough to have a name. There were likewise unbuilt lines in Watauga and Ashe as well.
However, Ashe, Avery, and Watauga were at one time served by railroads, providing access to markets and increased diversity of products. All of these railroads are now gone, although if you know where to look, you still might find a trace here or there, a ghost of the past.
Right after the Civil War, the Tennessee General Assembly incorporated the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad. The railroad was to run from Johnson City, through Elizabethton, to the Cranberry Iron Mines, located in present-day Avery County. Surveying, some grading, and laying of lines was accomplished. However, the line fell upon hard times and was sold a couple of times. In 1879, a decision was made to rebuild the line as a narrow-gauge railroad. The smaller engines that operated on the track with a three-foot width could better navigate the mountain terrain. Construction began in 1880, and two years later, the railroad reached Cranberry.
Almost as soon as the railroad arrived in Cranberry, several enterprising individuals began working on new lines to connect a new railroad. Some of these lines would simply connect to the great stands of timber in the area, while others connected with larger railroads to
By Michael C. Hardy
the South. The Camp brothers from Chicago had recently purchased a sawmill in Pineola, and in July 1896, chartered the Linville River Railroad. Much of the grading was finished by the spring of 1897, but the company ran out of funds and the line was put up for sale, purchased by William Ritter, and incorporated as the Linville River Railway (LRR). Rails were laid to Pineola, and large-scale logging stripped the surrounding forest. There were so many temporary spurs heading out of Pineola to various stands of timber that the community looked like a wagon wheel.
Eventually, Ritter ran out of timber holdings and in 1913 sold the LRR to the Cranberry Iron and Coal Company which also owned the ET&WNC. William Ritter had recently purchased property and timber rights in Shulls Mill in Watauga County. Ritter convinced the directors to extend the line to his sawmill so that the timber could be transported to market. In late 1916, the line to the Boone Fork Lumber Company in Shull’s Mill was complete. When news reached town leaders in Boone, B.B. Dougherty and Edwin Lowell came up with a plan to raise the funds, through a bond, to get the line to Boone. The company owners agreed, and in March 1918, construction began. Months later, the extension from Shull’s Mill was completed. Mail service began on January 1, 1919, and regular passenger service on May 9. While the LRR ended in Boone, temporary spurs were constructed to various timber tracts.
For a time, the LRR and the ET&WNC were profitable. In 1929, the Cranberry Iron Mines closed, and much of the timber had been cut. The first few days of August 1940 brought a devastating rain to the area, followed by a hurricane on August 13. It was the worst flood to ever hit the area. Businesses and homes were destroyed, and several people lost their lives. Much of the track of the LRR was washed away. The directors of the LRR met in Cranberry a month later and announced that the railroad from Cranberry to Boone would be abandoned. Local citizens met with the directors and fought for the railroad to be rebuilt, but the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) agreed with the directors. Trucks were brought in, and boxcars and other equipment trucked out, while the surviving depots were sold.
The ET&WNC held on for another decade. There was always talk of the Cranberry iron mines reopening, and the train transported men
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and women working in the war industry to Elizabethton during the 1940s. On October 16, 1950, the ET&WNC made the last run to Elk Park and Cranberry. Then the rails were removed, and the depots were torn down.
While there were plenty of logging companies that had their own locomotive and cars for transporting timber in the High Country, there was one other primary railroad in the area. Like the ET&WNC and the LRR, the Virginia-Carolina Railroad had a couple of previous incarna tions. The VCR was chartered in 1898, and freight and passenger service between Abington and Damascus began in 1913. Ashe County busi nessmen lobbied for a certain location near the county seat of Jefferson and won. The town of West Jefferson soon emerged. By 1915, the line reached Todd, on the Ashe-Watauga County line. The station at the end of the line was called Elkland. For the next forty-seven years, Ashe County had a standard-gauge rail connection to the outside world. Cut timber was hauled out, and merchandise was hauled in. In 1933, the ICC gave permission to the VCR to abandon the nineteen miles of track between Todd and West Jefferson. As with the ET&WNC and LRR, the flood of 1940 damaged the line, but it was rebuilt. Mail and passenger service continued until 1962, and excursion trains were run into the 1960s and 1970s. In 1972, the owner of the VCR, the Norfolk and Western Railroad, applied to abandon the whole line, which was granted. The last railroad in the High Country was consigned to the history books.
While the ET&WNC is sometimes called Tweetsie, or, “Eat Taters and Wear No Clothes,” the VCR is referred to as the Virginia Creeper; as the VCR climbed Whitetop Mountain, it crept along, due to the grade.
There are glimpses of these ghosts of our past hidden in various places. Old piers for railroad bridges still exist, as do grades in various places. In Todd are two cabooses and an old diesel engine. Probably the best places to explore the history of the railroad in the area are the Ashe County Museum of History, in the old courthouse in Jefferson, and the Avery County Historical Museum in Newland. The Ashe County Museum has a fantastic model railroad of the Virginia Creeper, showing various eras of time. The Avery County Museum has the 1917 LRR Linville Depot and ET&WNC Caboose 505, the only remaining depot and caboose from the narrow gauge railroad. Of course, people can visit the Tweestie Railroad Theme Park and take a ride behind old engine No. 12. The engine once plied the route between Elizabethton and Boone and now has a different sort of life, much different than those of the ghostly railroads that are long gone.
Whethercat people or dog people, those of us who have pets in our lives can easily attest to the benefits of animal companions, from the joy pets bring to our lives to the way they help us to interact with both animals and humans. Domesticated animals need forever homes just as surely as we humans need the comfort and love they bring to our lives. Fortunately for those four-legged friends and us humans, too, the High Country has fantastic organizations created to help animals find loving homes and ensure humans have the resources they need. The Humane Societies of Avery, Watauga, and Ashe Counties, along with Mitchell County Animal Rescue, are all committed to serving animals in their service areas and beyond, with unique resources to make sure every dog and cat gets a great home and that there are tools to help pet owners and communities.
The Avery County Humane Society (ACHS) has been helping local animals and their families since 1978. For the past decade, the organization has been serving the community from a lovely facility located on Vale Road in Newland. Thanks to a committed staff, legendary community boosters, and strong local support, the Avery Humane Society is a phenomenal resource. With support from outstanding organizations like the High Country Charitable Foundation, the ACHS is making a difference in the lives of animals and people. In addition to helping animals find permanent homes, the Humane Society provides low-cost spay/neuter services and shots, affordable flea and tick medicines, and a pet food pantry to help those who may be having trouble providing for their animals. Interim Director Elsa Delgado encourages visitors to come to the “amazing shelter” that is “a labor of love.” Although she has worked with other shelters in other parts of the country, she thinks Avery is “by far the best,” and feels fortunate to be in a place that has allowed her to live out her
By Elizabeth Baird Hardy
childhood dream of finding “forever homes for homeless animals.” Delgado hopes visitors will take time to come visit, whether or not they are looking to adopt. There are plenty of wonderful cats and dogs available for adoption, along with the occasional Guinea pig. Since Avery is a no-kill shelter that will not euthanize adoptable pets, new animals can only be served if current ones find homes. But even those who already have pets or cannot adopt can support the Humane Society by coming in to shop at the boutique or by spending time with the animals, as the more interactions they have, the more likely they’ll adapt to new homes. Volunteers and donors are always needed to help the shelter continue its important work.
In nearby Mitchell County there is the Animal Rescue (MCAR), also a no-kill shelter. A network of foster homes helps make sure that animals who are not quite ready for adoption still have the support and care they need. Fosters provide temporary safe placement for animals that are too young, too sick, or not adequately socialized enough for adoption. Amber Henline Dale, who has been fostering with Mitchell County Animal Rescue since 2018, first volunteered after a Facebook story about a needy mother cat tugged at her heart. Since helping that first cat, Amber has fostered thirty-nine cats, with only one socalled “foster fail” (she was unable to relinquish the cat and ended up adopting), and she has served on the MCAR’s board for the past year. Foster volunteers are a vital part of the MCAR mission, as over 1,000 pets are in the organization’s care each year.
In addition to facilitating adoptions, the MCAR provides low-cost vaccinations and spay/neuter procedures, transfers to other shelters, and an emergency food bank. The rescue also works with local law enforcement to protect animals from abuse and neglect. Since the rescue does not euthanize animals for space, foster homes
like Amber’s are vital. While she was led to begin fostering by her love of kittens, she has continued, finding volunteering to be “a good way to give back, to help the community…You don’t have to work with a lot of people to make a big difference.” She has become fascinated with watching how each cat develops a unique personality. The unconditional love of animals has delighted her, so she encourages others to get involved. Opportunities to support the shelter are on-going, with annual events that celebrate animals and help generate resources. October 21, at the Mountaineer and Apple Butter Festival in Bakersville, the MCAR will present a Pet Pageant with awards including Best Dressed, Most Exotic, and Cutest. Donations are always welcome; anyone wanting to adopt should contact the rescue and may even be fortunate enough to adopt one of Amber’s adorable foster kittens.
The Watauga Humane Society, in Boone, is also promoting special programs. As in other shelters across the country, there are increasing numbers of animals and decreasing adoptions. In addition to programs like the August Clear the Shelter promotion, the WHS has several other programs to promote adoption, particularly for dogs over 50 pounds. The Barn Cat program, also popular at other shelters, allows an outdoor cat to have a “job” in pest control while also receiving a stable care situation. Director of Operations and Animal Welfare Ashlee Yepez credits a great team, volunteers, and community members for the Humane Society’s tremendous success: “It is the people who together have created a safe haven for animals in need.”
Yepez, who has been with the WHS for 10 years, has loved visiting the shelter since she was a child and now enjoys the beautiful connections made between animals and people: “Getting to see families and
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828.260.3107 tommycustomgolf@gmail com
individuals match with a companion is the sweetest, but hearing their story and getting to empathize with them along the way is another experience entirely.” She also sees the WHS as a place to learn. “Every day there are new and innovative ideas to help animals in need. As a constant life-learner surrounded by passionate people, we are excited to develop and lead new programs that will continue to meet the changing needs of our community.” Volunteers who want to be part of this amazing environment are always welcome. People who cannot adopt a pet may still be able to volunteer, donate, or foster to make a powerful difference in the lives of animals.
Over in Ashe County, the fostering model has become a valuable tool to allow the Ashe Humane Society (AHS) to adapt to changing circumstances. Earlier this year, the AHS switched to a foster-based rescue that takes in-danger animals from county animal control rather than maintaining a full-time shelter. Also available are the Spay and Neuter Financial Assistance Program and the Trap-Neuter-Return initiative for feral cats. Through this program, feral cats are trapped, sterilized, vaccinated, and released, helping to stabilize colonies and prevent overpopulation. A pet pantry also helps provide food, collars, and other needed resources. Those who are interested in adopting one of the animals currently being fostered through the AHS will find loving companions ready for forever homes. The AHS is also always appreciative of donations, whether of time or resources.
To keep up with the Humane Society or Animal Shelter near you, follow these wonderful organizations on social media, like Facebook and Instagram, or check them out on their websites for updates and information on more ways to help, or ways to find a furry friend of your own. Avery Humane Society: www.averyhumane.org; Mitchell County Animal Rescue: mitchellcountyanimalrescue.org; Ashe Humane Society: ashehumanesociety.org; Watauga Humane Society: wataugahumane.org
Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary is a horse rescue operation here in our Blue Ridge Mountains, owned and operated by Ann and John Lisk (see our profile on Southern Sun Farm on page 97). They rely on dedicated volunteers to help with all aspects of the farm. Sanctuary volunteer Pam Lather was especially moved by “Doc,” the farm’s 1,600-lb. Belgian Draft Horse, and has written two children’s books based on Doc’s true journey.
Doc Moves to the Mountains follows Doc from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he finds his healthy, forever home at Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary. Lather’s sequel, Doc Makes Friends, shares the horse’s adventures on the farm. Illustrator Anna Welsh brings Doc and the NC landscapes to life. To purchase one or both books for the early readers in your life, visit the Southern Sun Farm Sanctuary website at southernsunfarm.com.
The mission of Florence Thomas Art School is to provide resources for instruction, exhibition and experience in the fine arts and heritage crafts for Ashe County and the region. The School is currently selling raffle tickets for a chance to win the grand prize of an original oil painting by Florence Thomas (valued at $2500). Second prize
wins a gift certificate for any two-day workshop at the school, and third prize receives a gift certificate for any one-day workshop. Raffle tickets are available until October 1, and winners will be announced at the last West Jefferson Gallery Crawl of the year on October 13. During the Crawl, Florence Thomas Art School, along with the other galleries in and around downtown West Jefferson, keep their galleries open from 5-7:30 p.m. It’s a great opportunity to explore the downtown scene. Learn more at florenceartschool.org.
A new exhibit recently opened at the Johnson County Center for the Arts in Mountain City, TN. “The Serpentine Chain: New Works By Cristy Dunn” is a collection of work that marks the beginning of a collaboration between Dunn—painter, muralist, and Executive Director of the Center for the Arts—and renowned writer Sharyn McCrumb for a coffee table book exploring the local people’s relationship to the land here in Appalachia, and the cultural and geological connections between the mountains in our region and the mountains in Scotland and Ireland. The Johnson County Center for the Arts is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. jocoartcenter.org
It’s All About The Art Gallery in Banner Elk, NC, is hosting a Paint It Pink Brunch and Charity Auction on October 1, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October. All proceeds from the event will go to a breast cancer awareness charity. Tickets are $35/person—simply call the gallery to purchase your ticket at 828-783-9233. It’s All About The Art Gallery is dedicated to showcasing some of the most captivating works from emerging and established artists around the world; located at 163 Shawneehaw Ave, Banner Elk. itsallabouttheart.net
Several times each year, the various counties in our region provide special collection days for household hazardous waste (HHW). The proper disposal of HHW and the recycling of approved materials saves landfill space, money, natural resources and energy. The next Hazardous Waste Collection Day for Watauga residents takes place Thursday, October 12, 8:30 a.m.3:30 p.m. Learn more at wataugacounty.org
Blue Ridge Midnight Runners announce their 2023 Kool Nites and Hot Rods Cruise-In fall dates of Sept 23, and Oct 21. If cruising
in a hot rod, classic car or muscle car is your thing, cruise over to downtown West Jefferson in Ashe County, where car enthusiasts set up from 3 – 9 p.m. This is a free event—for more information, call 336-977-1989 or visit ashechamber.com
Possible exhibits include the following: Demonstration Bee Hive; Where Does Your Trash Go?; How does Composting Work?; Alternative Energy Sources; Scaled Remote Control Model of NASA’s Mars Rover; Robotic Arms; and many others! Interested in supporting the Children’s Discovery Center? Contact the MCC Foundation office at mccfoundation@mayland.edu for information on how you can help. mayland.edu/foundation/childrens-discovery-center/
Have an aspiring artist in your household? The Doodlebug Club is for preschool-age children ages 2-5 (and a parent/guardian). Doodlebugs meet every first and third Thursday morning of the month, 9:30-10:30 a.m.—it’s a fun, educational art program focused on basic art skills. The Afternoon Art Club is for children ages 6–12, and includes creative art-making activities through a variety of media, from watercolor to clay. They meet every Tuesday, 3:30-4:30 p.m., and each week features a famous artist, book, or theme to serve as inspiration and guidance for the art-making activity. Online reservations are required at blowingrockmuseum.org.
On October 20, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., enjoy a mountain-side hayride to the Banner Elk Winery. Take in the atmosphere while enjoying a flight of wine and a tour of the winery. The hayride will begin across from Town Hall at 403 S Beech Mountain Parkway and end at Banner Elk Winery. Learn more at beechmtn.com.
The new Children’s Discovery Center will consist of two adjoining buildings that feature hands-on STEM education for children (and adults) of all ages.
On October 22-25, join Patrick Dean, author of A Window to Heaven: The Daring First Ascent of Denali, America’s Wildest Peak, for a special “Retreat in Wilderness and Discipleship.” This retreat will invite you to encounter God and yourself in the wildness of these mountains and our lives through sharing the untold story of Hudson Stuck and by spending time hiking or relaxing at Valle Crucis Conference Center. Optional group hikes for various ability levels will be offered by Holy Hikes of WNC on Monday and Tuesday between learning about Stuck,
who spent much of his ministry visiting remote Alaskan villages by dogsled and advocating for Native rights in the early 1900s. Reservations/fee required. Visit the Valle Crucis Conference Center website at vcconferences.org
A new video is gaining traction on social media! And now you, too, can take a virtual tour of Damascus, Virginia. Damascus is a popular adventure destination in the Southeast, made famous by the Virginia Creeper Trail, Appalachian Trail and the town’s associated Appalachian Trail Days Festival, Grayson Highlands State Park, the highest peaks in Virginia, and more. Damascus is widely known as “Trail Town USA” and “the friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail.” Get to know Damascus by viewing the video on Facebook @ DamascusVAEvents/, Instagram, or YouTube.
A Visit from Chef Vivian Howard
National celebrity Chef Vivian Howard of A Chef’s Life (PBS-TV) visited the High Country this summer to help University Libraries at App State in Boone raise funds for student scholarships. Owner of Chef and the Farmer in Kinston, NC, and several other restaurants, Howard spoke at a luncheon on campus for some 250 fans, who received her new cookbook, This Will Make It Taste Good, containing fun original recipes like Gas Station Biscuits, Hippie Burritos, and Picklesickles. After lunch, she lectured to a crowd at the Appalachian Theatre on King Street, and the next morning caught up with CML writer Gail Greco (also a PBS cooking show host) at the Watauga County Farmers’ Market. In Howard’s previous cookbook, Deep Run Roots, she wrote that as a youngster her family often drove to our neck of the woods, “visiting Tweetsie Railroad, picking apples and eating at the Dan’l Boone Inn.”
The James Wellburn Whitehead House in Banner Elk, NC, has been selected to receive a 2023 Gertrude S. Carraway Award of Merit from Preservation North Carolina. The Carraway Awards are presented each year to people and organizations demonstrating genuine commitment through extraordinary leadership, research, philanthropy, promotion and/or personal participation in historic preservation. Owners Paul and Fabiana Lehman will be presented the Award on October 4. Learn more at PreservationNC.org and take a virtual tour of the restoration at historicbannerelkrental.com
Building this scenic route was a feat unlike any other at the time, and today, maintaining the historic Parkway is vital. Multiple ongoing road and bridge maintenance projects will be happening across the Parkway this season. Visitors should plan ahead for their trips on the Parkway and check road status information, updated daily on the Parkway’s website: nps.gov/blri.
Did you know that there are more living organisms in a cup of soil than people on Earth? Soil is a world made up of organisms, minerals, and organic components that provide food for humans and animals through plant growth. In fact, 95% of our food comes from soils! World Soil Day aims to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being by addressing the growing challenges in soil management and encouraging societies to improve soil health. Learn more at un.org/en/observances/world-soil-day
The children’s book Ticket to Space is literally in space. It was written and illustrated by Adrienne Romberger, a 32-year seasonal resident of Sugar Mountain, NC. Ticket to Space is the story of a little upstart rocket named Gus, whose dream of reaching space takes readers on a historical journey through America’s space travel adventures, from the Mercury rockets of the 1960s right up to today, when buying a ticket to go into space is possible. It is targeted for children age 3-8.
Ticket to Space launched on the SpaceX Crew 6 mission March 2, 2023, and was then delivered to the International Space Station. It was subsequently read aloud and will be posted on storytimefromspace. com this fall. Millions of children around the world will see and hear Dr. Frank Rubio read Ticket to Space to them from outer space. The book is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit the author’s website at seamoosestories.com
The Whitehead Historic Farmhouse
Stephan Dragisic has been named the new executive director of the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) and began his tenure on July 10. “We are thrilled to have Stephan join the BRAHM,” said Sandy Huff, Search Committee Chairperson and Past President of the Board of Trustees. “He knows our museum and our community and definitely brings the experience to take the BRAHM into its second decade.”
Community service has been and will remain important to Dragisic. While at Reynolda, his service to the community included serving as a trustee for the Arts Council of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County, President of the Rotary Club of Winston-Salem, and Arts Day Committee Chair for Leadership Winston-Salem. Additionally, he has served on the Diggs Gallery Advisory Board, Delta Arts Center 50th Anniversary Committee, Board member of the Downtown Arts District Association, and the Salem College 250th Anniversary Celebration Committee.
“I am very excited to be selected to lead the BRAHM into its second decade as this opportunity brings together my education, work experience, and community service,” said Dragisic. “As a part-time resident of Ashe County for the past 20 years, I have admired the collections and mission of the museum and I look forward to helping grow the permanent collection for the benefit of the residents and many visitors to the High Country.”
BRAHM is an art and history museum located in Blowing Rock, NC. Open to the public in 2011, it serves as a community cultural center with a focus on engagement, enrichment and education for all who visit. blowingrockmuseum.org
CML salutes The Appalachian Voice on its 25th year of publication. Their non-profit parent organization, Appalachian Voices, “envisions an Appalachia with healthy ecosystems and resilient local economies that allow communities to thrive.” Founded in 1997, Appalachian Voices “brings people together to protect the land, air and water of Central and Southern Appalachia and advance a just transition to a generative and equitable clean energy economy.”
To achieve this, they work to end harmful fossil fuel practices such as mountaintop removal coal mining and construction of unnecessary fracked-gas pipelines. Appalachian Voices strives for greater energy efficiency and a shift to clean, 21st-century energy sources including solar and wind power, and to stand up to monopoly utility practices that put profits over people. Their ultimate goal is to establish economic solutions that create community wealth and sustain Appalachia’s mountains, forests and waters.
With offices in Boone, NC, Charlottesville and Wise County, VA, and Knoxville, TN, they leverage grassroots organizing, community engagement, policy advocacy and technical expertise to hold decision-makers accountable in courtrooms, in state capitals and in Washington, D.C.
One of the most recent issues of The Appalachian Voice (with a stunning cover photo of the pristine waters of Crab Orchard Falls by James M. Davidson) contains stories on pipeline fighters, saving bog turtles, preventing black lung disease, finding higher ground after floods, mine cleanup concerns, the rural energy program, recycling, and clean energy, along with their usual mix of fascinating topics such as ginseng, chasing the light of bioluminescence, and special sections along the Appalachian Trail.
Bravo to Appalachian Voices Executive Director Tom Cormons, Editor Molly Moore and their entire team—you represent both a voice and the conscience of our region.
After a national search, Elizabeth Auer has been announced as the new executive director of arts engagement and cultural resources at Appalachian State University, succeeding recently retired Denise Ringler in the position.
“We are thrilled to welcome Elizabeth to App State,” said Vice Chancellor of External Affairs and Strategic Initiatives Hank Foreman. “Elizabeth brings with her more than two decades in the arts management field, with senior management level experience, responsibility for budgets in excess of $6 million and knowledge across all areas of operation.”
Auer’s background includes a long career at the University of Florida (UF) and leadership with the nation’s top arts management organizations. Since 2000, she has been with the University of Florida Performing Arts. During this time, Auer expanded community engagement programs, developed performance management and patron-focused operation and retention systems, produced numerous special events and participated in strategic plan development and implementation for the university. Through her work with boards of directors, community leaders and major donors, she matched passions with projects and programs to strengthen the arts at UF and within the local community.
Auer has served as a presenter and panelist for numerous regional and national arts organizations, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, the International Society for the Performing Arts, and South Arts Performing Arts Exchange. She has held leadership positions with numerous organizations dedicated to cultural exchange, including the Arts Presenters Inaugural Leadership Development Initiative, and has led Center Stage Cultural Diplomacy site visits and interviews. Auer holds a BA in theatre from LSU and a MFA in theatre management from Florida State.
This summer, Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (ARHS) changed its brand to “UNC Health Appalachian.” This move was made to reflect App Regional’s efforts to align with UNC Health’s rebranding strategy.
“We will remain a locally owned healthcare authority with local governance and decision making through our board of directors who live and work in this community,” said Chuck Mantooth, CEO of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System. “The rebrand does not change our operations or our commitment to providing high quality care to our patients and their families.”
UNC Health Appalachian is currently comprised of three hospitals, fifteen medical practices, a cancer center, a heart and vascular center, a rehabilitation center and a healthcare foundation. While the community will begin to see the transition to the new logo beginning this fall, it will take some time for the new brand to be updated in all places.
UNC Health Appalachian is a not-for-profit healthcare system and is managed by UNC Health, a state entity and an affiliated enterprise of the University of North Carolina system, comprised of 15 hospitals, 19 hospital campuses and more than 900 clinics along with the clinical patient care programs of the UNC School of Medicine (SOM). It exists to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others served and to further the teaching mission of the University of North Carolina SOM. For more information, please visit apprhs.org and unchealth.org
For everyone who loves adding a touch of creativity to their living spaces, you’ll enjoy discovering the new Sassy Curated Consignment & Gifts store in Foscoe, N.C. Sassy Curated is a reflection of owner Lisa Larson Gorum’s lifelong experiences as a renowned hostess and the sense of “home” she creates within its comfortable ambiance. “I am a proud Southern Belle, having been born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama,” shared Gorum. “Life was great growing up in the Deep South!” To this day, she is most proud of her southern heritage and being the mother of three and grandmother to six.
Lisa is an artist, Amazon Best-Selling children’s book author, and now a proud local business owner. Having studied Interior Design at the University of Alabama, she is thrilled to bring a discerning eye to curating a selection of gifts, home decor and furnishings in the High Country. She offers a wide range of social and cultural diversity with the selections she offers. “Sassy Curated Consignment & Gifts wraps its visitors in a warm and inviting atmosphere that inspires creative ideas and reinforces choices that might not otherwise be comfortable for some,” said Gorum.
The shop is inviting, entertaining, fun, and constantly changing. Check out Sassy Curated Consignment & Gifts for yourself, located at 8830 NC Highway 105 S, Boone, NC 28607 (in the Foscoe area). 828-9670052, sassyconsignments.com
The world lost a bright light in the early morning hours of August 20 when Elizabeth Yardley Young transcended her earthly form. A beacon of joy to all who knew her, Elizabeth, best known by many for her work with Boone-based Hunger and Health Coalition, met the world with warmth, genuine curiosity, and an overflowing well of love. She lived into the preciousness of each moment, and never missed an opportunity to tell her loved ones what they meant to her, to grab another hug (and then another), to tell a stranger they look beautiful, or to address inequity wherever she encountered it. Elizabeth was a natural leader, a community organizer, servant teacher, collector of people and experiences, and an inspiration to live each day more fully.
Originally hailing from Birmingham, AL, Elizabeth fell in love with Boone the moment she set foot here at the age of 18. She graduated from Appalachian State in 2007, and found her life’s calling in 2014 when she was hired as the Executive Director at the Hunger and Health Coalition (hungerandhealthcoalition.com). Elizabeth led the charge in expanding access to healthy food and medicine for High Country residents in need, tripling the number of individuals and families served during her tenure. She cultivated partnerships across the regional healthcare and university systems to create a first-in-the-nation food insecurity screening tool now utilized in medical practices countywide. But her pride and joy was the “Food as Medicine” program, which provides prescriptions for medically-tailored boxes of fresh, locally grown food and nutrition education services for patients in Watauga County.
Beyond her “day job,” Elizabeth was an active and much beloved member of our local community. She served on boards, joined clubs, and then created new ones. Elizabeth was diagnosed with a Brainstem Glioblastoma in July 2022 and for 13 months she battled courageously while never giving up her joy, humor, or determination. To the very end, her laugh sent a contagious ripple through the room, and she left very clear instructions that no one ever say she “lost her battle.” She lost nothing, and we all gained from being in her orbit.
Blowing Rock’s natural beauty has long been a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts, and now there’s a new way to experience its breathtaking landscapes: Mountain Cat Off Road Adventures, the latest venture by Sky Valley Zip Tours. This exciting addition to the High Country’s adventure scene promises to redefine off-road exploration through exhilarating experiences while keeping environmental impact at a minimum.
Mountain Cat Off Road Adventures introduces fully electric 4-wheel drive adventure vehicles (EAVs), poised to revolutionize the off-road experience. Jack Sharp, the visionary behind both Sky Valley Zip Tours and Mountain Cat Off Road Adventures, believes in the fusion of family and nature. “Our mission at Mountain Cat Off Road Adventures is to provide a gateway to reconnect with nature while indulging in the thrill of exploration,” said Sharp. The innovation lies in the use of stateof-the-art electric vehicles, ensuring comfort and excitement while upholding sustainability.
Situated on a sprawling 140-acre property, Mountain Cat Off Road Adventures offers an array of trails that challenge and delight off-road enthusiasts. Whether conquering steep inclines, navigating rocky paths, or experiencing rugged terrain, visitors will enjoy a memorable journey lasting anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on group size.
Mountain Cat Off Road Adventures is firmly committed to inclusivity and accessibility. The innovative design of the EAV tours caters to individuals with specific mobility impairments, encouraging them to take part in the excitement of off-road exploration (interested persons should have a detailed discussion regarding their specific needs with staff prior to making a reservation). Age and weight requirements are in place for safety: participants are required to be at least 14 years old, and not exceed 275 pounds—on-site weight measurements are conducted before each tour.
Mountain Cat Off Road Adventures is offering special introductory pricing for a limited time. To learn more, visit skyvalleyziptours.com/ about-sky-valley/mountain-cat/, email skyvalleyzips@boonezip.com, or follow them on social media.
Mountain Grounds Coffee & Tea Co. is a special place where you are immediately greeted with a smiling face and warm welcome. Although many people rave about Mountain Grounds’ coffee, the staff elevate the guest experience as their top priority. That may be why the business was recently awarded four “Best of the Best” awards by the Avery Journal-Times, including “Best Breakfast Restaurant,” “Best Brunch,” “Best Lunch,” and “Best Gluten Free Restaurant.”
Beyond beverages, great food is a big focus at Mountain Grounds. “We are excited to introduce new light cafe bites and gluten-free/dairyfree options,” said Mountain Grounds staff. A few fan favorites are their fresh-baked croissant sandwiches and the famous “Watauga LOXness Monster.”
“We partner with as many local suppliers as possible to deliver fresh, delicious products from across the High Country. We have fantastic relationships with Hatchet Coffee Roasters (Boone, NC), Stick Boy Bakery (Boone, NC), Dolci Di Maria (Black Mountain, NC) and local artists/vendors.”
Whether you’re looking to catch up on emails or meeting a friend for coffee or breakfast, you’ll find their space to be warm and cozy. They also offer high-speed internet to patrons, and are open seven days a week. Follow Mountain Grounds on Instagram and Facebook @mountaingroundsnc to stay up to date on their specials, events, and more. Located at 3990 NC-105 S, Suite 10, Banner Elk, NC (at Invershiel, in front of Lowes Foods) | 828-783-9069
“For our renters, I always make sure a current copy of CML is there—everything you need to know about what is happening in the area is in one place!”
– Jennifer
Want to reduce your heating/ cooling costs by 10 to 20%, while increasing your home’s comfort? Sealing air leaks is an inexpensive way to save energy, and anyone can do it!
• Detect air leaks around doors and windows. (Look for daylight around frames. Or, trace frames with incense and watch where the smoke is pulled.)
• Choose a silicone caulk that will form a waterand weather-resistant seal.
• Prep your surface by removing old caulk and paint. Make sure the area is dry.
• Prep the caulking gun and do a “test” run on a paper towel.
• Aim and pull the trigger. Hold the caulk gun at a 45-degree angle while pulling it toward you.
• After covering 2-3 feet of the surface, run a damp finger or foam paintbrush lightly along the bead to seal the caulk.
• Clean up mistakes before the caulk hardens.
Prep your home for winter by sealing air leaks now. Get more easy energy-saving tips at
I have been an emergency responder in the N.C. High Country for nearly 40 years. One thing that I have noticed through the years is the lack of basic first aid knowledge and skills among the general public. As a first responder I have encountered numerous instances when no care has been provided to the injured individual until our arrival. Comments such as “I didn’t know what to do” or “I have never been trained in first aid” are what we often hear from family, friends and bystanders.
Recent events where trained medical personnel saved individuals in front of thousands, or even millions, of people on TV have brought to the spotlight the skills of our medically trained responders. The High Country is blessed with well trained and qualified medial responders. While I often find myself in awe of the skill sets of many of these first responders, this isn’t what I want to focus on for this article.
My question is why aren’t we as a society better trained in basic first aid? Even the best trained and prepared first responders are going to take several minutes to reach an individual in need. We must factor in the reporting time to the local 911 center, the alerting time to first responders and then the drive time to reach the patient’s location. In many cases, simple first aid and/or CPR could have made a difference for the patient.
I’m not referring to advanced life support skills held by our EMS agencies, I am referencing the basic lifesaving skills such as CPR, bleeding control or stroke recognition.
A study conducted by the New Cleveland Clinic found that only 54 percent of Americans know basic CPR. While that number sounds bad, it gets worse. Only one in six knows the recommended technique for chest compressions. The number fell to 11 percent when ask if they knew the correct pace for chest compressions. Dr. Steve Nissen is quoted in the 2018 New Cleveland Clinic Study: “When someone is suffering from cardiac arrest, time is not on their side. Immediate CPR can be the difference between life and death, doubling or even tripling a person’s chance of survival.” This statement is supported by data and statistics on the American Heart Association’s (AHA) website at cpr.heart.org.
Additionally, the AHA states in their CPR facts and statistics section that only 40 percent of those who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest will receive the help they need before professional help arrives. The AHA goes on to say that most out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home (73.4%) or in a public setting (16.3%). These statistics support the need for everyone to have at least basic lifesaving skills.
Getting basic first aid and CPR training has gotten much easier through the years. Access to this valuable training is offered by several agencies and can be studied online though different websites. Here, I’ll introduce you to some local agencies and individuals who will make getting this training easy and convenient.
I talked with Gary Harmon, who is Chief of the Watauga County Rescue Squad and training coordinator with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (CCC&TI). Chief Harmon’s position is important to local first responders because one of his tasks at CCC&TI is to facilitate and coordinate required and requested training for all first responders in
Watauga and Caldwell Counties. Chief Harmon, through CCC&TI, works to provide first aid and CPR training for the general public, too. When asked about the importance of this training Chief Harmon said, “It is very important—you never know when an emergency might arise. CPR and first aid training will give you the skills to handle it.” He went on to promote the Stop the Bleed class that is taught by CCC&TI. “The Stop the Bleed training is a quick class that will teach you to save a life from the dangers of blood loss which occurs during uncontrolled bleeding,” Chief Harmon explained.
Avery County EMS Director Mike Edmisten backs up the statements made by Chief Harmon. With 14 years of EMS experience in both Watauga and Avery Counties, Director Edmisten noted that he, too, has seen the importance and the need of these skills in the general public. Director Edmisten, through Avery County EMS, coordinates and provides CPR and Stop the Bleed training in Avery County.
Kat Eller, who is the Community Resource Officer with the Boone Police Department, recognized the need in the Boone community for more CPR training. So she took the training and became a certified CPR instructor. Through the Boone Police Department she works with many different agencies and individuals to provide the training of lifesaving skills. Officer Eller is eager to work with any type of group to provide CPR training.
I reached out to Appalachian Regional Healthcare System (now UNC Health Appalachian) and spoke with Brandon Sullivan, the Training Center Coordinator. While they do not currently provide in-person CPR classes, he is able to set up a skills check-off after someone has completed the American Heart Association’s online CPR Course; a variety of courses can be found at cpr.heart.org. Sullivan can work with individuals after completion of their online courses to provide check-off and certification.
The need is there. We never know when or where a medical emergency will arise; it is important to be prepared to help save a life. The access to basic first aid and CPR training has never been easier. You can even train on a computer from the comfort of your own home. In the N.C. High Country, we have resources just a phone call or email away that can provide training for these vital skills. Please use the contact information below to start this important journey today!
n Gary Harmon: 828-297-3811, Ext 5331 | Email: gharmon@cccti.edu
n Mike Edmisten: 828-733-8286 | Email: edmisten@averycountync.gov Facebook @ Avery County EMS
n Kat Eller: 828-268-6947 | Email: kat.eller@townofboone.net
n Brandon Sullivan : 828-268-8971 or 828-386-2161
n American Heart Association: https://cpr.heart.org/
Mike Teague is the Assistant Fire Chief of the Boone Fire Department. Reach Mike at mike.teague@ townofboone.net or by phone at 828-268-6180 with questions or topic requests.
By Jim Casada
“Son,” my paternal grandfather was fond of saying, “there ain’t nothing quite like a cathead biscuit slathered with home-churned butter and adorned with sourwood honey.” Then, before we enjoyed that High Country treat on a breakfast table also graced by country ham, redeye gravy, and a steaming platter of scrambled eggs laid by his chickens, he would offer a simple blessing. Most of the content would focus on the season of the year, thanks for rain or some other aspect of day-to-day life spent in close communion with the good earth, or a request for good health, but his prayers always concluded with the same words: “You’uns see what’s before you; eat hearty.”
When a part of the fare spread before us was Grandma Minnie’s cathead biscuits and a jar of sourwood honey, doing anything other than following his suggestion about getting down to some serious consumption of foodstuffs wasn’t about to happen. Everything on the table was delectable and sure to set a greedy-gut boy’s salivary glands into involuntary overdrive, but sourwood honey was and always has been in a class by itself. An ingenious part of an advertisement for a popular cane syrup of yesteryear, Dixie Dew, suggested that it gave “a biscuit a college education.” Perhaps, but if that was the case then genuine sourwood honey provided a big, fluffy cathead biscuit with a doctoral degree in deliciousness.
I use the word “genuine” advisedly when it comes to sourwood honey, because far too often what is advertised as “sourwood honey” is some pantywaist pretender that carries, at best, a mere hint of the special wonder produced by bees and sourwood blossoms. The “knowing” nose can discern the difference between the real McCoy and mere wildflower honey and the same holds true for well-cultivated taste buds. Sourwood trees are prolific, predictable bloomers, and their blossoms are of a nature to offer nectar over a bloom period lasting several weeks. Bees will select sourwood blooms over pretty much anything
else in a good bloom and nectar year, which means one that is comparatively hot and dry during flowering time.
Sourwoods grow over a wide swath of the eastern United States, but nowhere are they more common than in the High Country of North Carolina. Traditionally the trees, although too small and crooked in growth patterns to be suitable for timber, had some uses other than honey production. These included folk medicine and use of the dense, hard wood for sled runners or handles for hand tools such as go-devils and mowing scythes. But in yesteryear, as remains true today, honey production was the primary reason the sourwood was so prized as a tree.
The glories of sourwood honey are one of those things best sampled and savored in person as opposed to being described in print, but for true connoisseurs the nectar has to be reckoned to reside in a taste level all on its own. Some will sing the praises of the golden nectar from other flowers such as tupelo, tulip poplar, locust, and orange blossoms, but once you have enjoyed a fine offering from a banner year for sourwood bloom the distinction becomes clear. Sourwood honey is as much an unchallenged king in its particular realm as the lordly American chestnut once reigned supreme as monarch of Appalachian forests.
Sourwoods are late in coming into bloom, a consideration that means they almost never suffer the occasional fate of fruit trees such as peaches or apples. Frostbite is never a threat, although other climate-related factors do affect honey production. The blooms hold less nectar in years in which it is rainy and cool while the tree is in flower, and bees seem a bit less busy when those circumstances prevail. But when there’s a summer of warm days and little rain other than the late
Start
evening showers so common to mountain summers, honeybees go about their life’s business of gathering nectar and conveying it to the central processing location we call a hive with a single-minded intensity. “Busy as a bee” is a singularly appropriate simile.
A multitude of factors combine to provide sourwood honey its lofty perch atop the world of sweets from nature. One key consideration, and it has appreciable importance when a particularly bountiful year sees honey lovers storing jars for the future much like a wine enthusiast might stock a cellar with a banner vintage, is that pure or near pure sourwood contains a comparatively small level of natural sucrose. That translates to a honey that does not crystallize over time. Another factor, perhaps the one that sets sourwood apart to a greater degree than any other, involves its taste and appearance. Sourwood honey is naturally light in color and the taste is most frequently described as a smooth or buttery caramel flavor. Then too, thanks to coming from the blooms of a tree that grows almost exclusively in the wilds, as opposed to other common popular flavors such as orange blossom, clover, or avocado, sourwood honey is organic. The tree’s blooms have virtually no exposure to chemical sprays, fertilizers, or other agricultural products. Add in proven health benefits in the form of antioxidants, resistance to allergens and soothing help with coughs or sore throats, and you have a bounty of blessings all wrapped up in a taste treat beyond compare.
When it comes to purchasing sourwood honey and having reasonable assurance that you are getting what the label describes, there are a number of steps aficionados find helpful. If buying at a roadside stand or directly from a beekeeper, ask whether or not the honey is raw. It’s preferable from the standpoint of purity, health benefits, and more. Local sources, as opposed to store-bought honey, are the ideal way to go. That’s particularly true if you know the beekeeper. What is sometimes described as artisanal honey, which is just another way of saying it comes from defined sources and is in its purest, sweetest form, is what you are seeking. Of course it’s easy enough to say a given jar of honey is artisanal sourwood, but the ultimate proof comes through knowing the keeper and his bees along with having trust in the seller.
You’ll likely pay more, but being able to establish a predictable source of sourwood, one you can turn to year after year, is the ideal situation. The connoisseur wants nothing but the best—and that’s sourwood. Sometimes finding it is like searching for the Holy Grail, but when the plate before you is graced with a biscuit anointed in this sweetest and finest of nectars, you’ll know the results amply justify the quest.
Jim Casada is a full-time freelance writer with dozens of books and thousands of articles to his credit. One of his most recent works, co-authored with Tipper Pressley, is Celebrating Southern Appalachian Food. Inscribed copies of this and many of his other books, along with the opportunity to sign up for his free monthly newsletter, can be found at www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com.
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AppFamily Medicine
Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine (newborn to 18 years old) 828-386-2222 apprhs.org/appfamily
Baker Center for Primary Care
Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine (newborn to 18 years old) 828-737-7711 apprhs.org/baker
Davant Medical Clinic
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Becauseflavor involves sensory perceptions of both taste and smell, wines are the perfect platform for showcasing unique palate pleasing characteristics. The distinctive flavors in wines arise from a combination of the varieties of grapes that go into the wines, and where the grapes are grown. Wide ranging micro-climates allow specific varieties to either flourish or flounder, and talented wine producers from southern climates discovered that certain hybrid grapes make very flavorful wines.
Many wine drinkers recognize traditional Vitis vinifera varietals like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. These European derived grape varieties are widely cultivated around the world for making wine. Southern wine drinkers and those who prefer sweeter wines are probably also familiar with the American native Muscadine and Scuppernong varieties that grow wild in North Carolina and are now cultivated for wine. However, there are some very unique hybrid varieties grown in the vineyards of the High Country American Viticulture Area (AVA) that contribute to our local wines’ deliciously exceptional flavors.
There are fewer than 300 American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) in the U.S. and every area receives its designation
because of specific characteristics that make the wines of each AVA unique to that AVA. The Appalachian High Country AVA was recognized as an AVA in 2016 and is one of only two multi-state AVAs. The High Country AVA is made up of vineyards from southern Virginia, eastern Tennessee, and western North Carolina, and all of our area vineyards and wineries are a part of this AVA.
While High Country AVA vineyards have commonalities, each is unique because they are located at different altitudes with varying climates. The special micro-ecosystems at each location support diverse growing conditions and varied soil types allowing different grape varieties to flourish. And while the varieties of grapes grown in the vineyards across the High Country AVA vary, rotresistant grapes that thrive in short, wet, cooler growing conditions yield the best harvests.
One distinctive white variety found in the High Country AVA is Seyval Blanc, a French-American hybrid vine. Seyval Blanc consists of large clusters of small-berried white grapes, developed in France in the early 1920s by Bertille Seyve and his son-in-law, Victor Villard, while trying to create a disease-resistant grape. Another notable French-American hybrid grape lending its flavor to High Country AVA wines is Marechal
By Kim S. DavisFoch, a jammy, deep red grape that came to the U.S. at the end of World War II and is named after Marechal (General) Ferdinand Foch, a prominent French General during World War I. Because stringent European law does not permit the use of hybrid grapes in their winemaking, the vines were exported and are now grown outside of Europe, including in our primary High Country vineyards at Banner Elk Winery, Grandfather Vineyard and Winery, Linville Falls Winery, and Watauga Lake Winery’s Villa Nove Vineyard .
Each of these wineries cultivates and incorporates Seyval Blanc and Marechal Foch in their wines in individualized ways. Beginning with the highest vineyard in the High Country AVA, Banner Elk Winery sits at 5,000 feet above sea level. Founders first planted these hybrid grape varieties in 2001 and they have thrived. Typically a more off-dry wine, the Seyval Blanc varietal from Banner Elk Winery tends to be drier because of the high altitude. Reminiscent of a Sauvignon Blanc but less citrusy and with greater minerality, the Banner Elk Seyval Blanc is best consumed young.
Banner Elk Winery also produces an award-winning Marechal Foch varietal, aged in French Oak barrels, that tends to cellar well. They have just released a
new vintage Marechal Foch Reserve that is great with barbecue. The Marechal Foch is lower in tannins than many deep red varieties and performs well in the cold and wet climate of Banner Elk. Another notable hybrid grape grown at Banner Elk Winery is the Steuben. It was developed at Cornell University and is named after a county in New York. Steuben is a thick-skinned light pink grape that is used to make the Banner Elk Winery Rosé.
Just a few miles over the mountain is Grandfather Vineyard and Winery, situated at 3,300 feet above sea level. They also produce wines utilizing the Seyval Blanc and Marechal Foch hybrids but in very different ways. Some of their blends, particularly their sparkling wines, are made with Chardonel, which is a hybrid of Seyval Blanc. They also grow Marechal Foch to incorporate in some of their red blends.
Because of the vineyard’s elevation and steeply sloping hillside, Grandfather Vineyard and Winery also has success with another flavorful French-American hybrid first developed in France in the 1930s as a Cognac grape. Vidal Blanc is able to withstand harsher winter weather
and because of its high sugar levels, it is a great grape for bubbly. The winery recently received gold medals in the NC Wine Competition for wines blended with this grape. Along with Chardonel, Vidal Blanc is a foundation of their Blue Ridge Brut, and it is also included in their Sparkling River White and Sweet Sparkling Rosé. This early ripening hybrid is blended in many of their still wines as well, including the newly released Grandfather White made with Vidal Blanc, and Traminette, a University of Illinois-developed hybrid.
About twenty miles southwest at a similar elevation range of 3,200 to 3,500 feet, Linville Falls Winery cultivates both Seyval Blanc and Marechal Foch on their southern facing slopes. Seyval Blanc is featured in their Rose, the Trillium white blend (along with Vidal Blanc and Riesling) and their Mountain White. The estate grown Marechal Foch grapes are featured in some of their special release reds. Linville Falls Winery also has great success growing Riesling, an aromatic Vitis vinifera variety that originated in the Rhine Region of Germany. This popular variety is their “flagship grape” and is featured in their
award-winning Riesling, as well as a Dry Riesling and several blends.
Across the state line in Tennessee, Watauga Lake Winery’s Villa Nove Vineyard is situated at an altitude of 2,000 feet along Big Dry Run Rd., so named because it is an isolated area of dry land. Although it may be raining all around the vineyard, the farmland remains dry, bringing specific flavors to its hybrid vines. All of Watauga Lake Winery’s wines are made with estate grown grapes, including their School House White, blended with Chardonel, Seyval Blanc, Golden Muscat, and Traminette. Their Traminette is a cold-hearty Gewurztraminer hybrid that is the “star” of the vineyard. Villa Nove Vineyard also grows the light pink Steuben hybrid to include in some off-dry blends.
The High Country region is very fortunate to be a part of its own AVA and to house four spectacular award-winning vineyards. We encourage you to visit each winery and taste the unique flavors of these lesser-known hybrid grapes. The talented winemakers have maximized their harvests to develop amazing wines from these resilient grape varieties.
"Fresh
Our 6th generation family farm makes farm- fresh cheese on site from our own happy dairy cows. Our farm store also offers other local goods!
828-756-8166
Fri-Sat, 10am-6pm, year-round
19456 US 221 North (.5 miles south of Linville Caverns) Marion, NC 28752
BULL
Part of the Mystery Hill Family of Attractions
The best beer is an open beer.
INTELLIGENT CHOICES
Lunch: 11 AM to 3 PM. | Dinner: 5 PM to 10 PM. Sunday Brunch: 11 AM to 3 PM.
143 Wonderland Trail, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 bistroroca.com / 828-295-4008
AFTER
10 wonderfully comfortable bedrooms with evening turndown service Serving Dinner Tuesday - Saturday from 5:30pm - 8pm Reservations Required Dining & Cocktails Alfresco and the view...
202 Gideon Ridge Road, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605 gideonridge.com / 828-295-3644
DIRECTIONS:
n Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
n Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
n Using a floured surface, roll out puff pastry then cut into 8 equal rectangles.
n Combine honey, cayenne, and thyme in a small bowl.
n To the lined sheet pan, spoon 1 tsp of spiced honey for each of the four tarts per pan, spaced at least 6 inches apart.
n Arrange 4-5 slices of apple overtop the honey, top with prosciutto and a slice of brie.
n Top with puff pastry and crimp the edges to adhere to the parchment paper.
INGREDIENTS
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
8 tsp honey
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 tsp minced thyme
2 honey crisp apples or apple of choice, thinly sliced
8 brie cheese slices
4 slices prosciutto, cut in half
1 large egg
n Beat egg in a small bowl with a splash of water to create an egg wash.
n Brush the top of pastries with egg wash.
n Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb fresh Brussels sprouts, stems removed, cut in quarters
2 ½ cups butternut squash (1 small butternut squash), peeled, cubed into ½-inch cubes
5 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper
2 cups cooked quinoa
8 oz goat cheese, crumbled
½ cup salted pumpkin seeds
½ cup dried cranberries
DIRECTIONS:
n Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
n To a large, rimmed baking sheet pan add the Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, olive oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pepper; toss to combine.
n Roast for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, tossing halfway through.
n In a large bowl, mix the roasted butternut squash, Brussels sprouts and quinoa.
n Top with pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and goat cheese.
WITH CHIPOTLE CRANBERRY SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
Pork Tenderloin
2 pork tenderloins (about 2 lbs) trimmed
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 TBSP ground ginger
1 TBSP ground garlic powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Cranberry Chipotle Sauce
16 oz can whole berry cranberry sauce
8 oz crushed pineapple, drained
2-3 (depending on spice preference) chipotle peppers in adobo, diced
DIRECTIONS:
Pork Tenderloin
n Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
n In a small bowl mix together ginger, garlic, salt, cumin, paprika and cinnamon.
n Trim pork of excess fat or silver skin.
Pat pork dry and coat with olive oil. Rub pork tenderloin with olive oil, then rub in seasoning mix.
n Bake for 25-30 minutes (internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees).
n Roast for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, tossing halfway through.
n Let pork rest 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
NOTE:
The roasted veggies for the “fall confetti salad,” and the pork tenderloins, are cooked at the same temp for about the same amount of time to create an easy whole meal in under 30 minutes.
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Recipes by Meagan Goheen
WITH CINNAMON MAPLE GLAZE
INGREDIENTS
6 TBSP butter, softened
2 TBSP vegetable oil
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
CINNAMON MAPLE GLAZE
2 TBSP butter
¼ cup pure maple syrup
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS:
n Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper.
n In a mixer, cream the butter, vegetable oil, and light brown sugar on high speed for 30 seconds. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix for another 30 seconds.
n In a separate bowl, combine flour, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, black pepper, baking powder, and salt. Combine the dry ingredients into wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix, and place in prepared baking dish.
n While the bars cook make the cinnamon maple glaze by melting butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon over low heat until melted together. Pull off the heat and sift in powdered sugar. Whisk until fully combined. n Allow to cool for 10 minutes for the glaze to thicken.
n Evenly spread the glaze over the bars. Allow bars to cool, then slice and serve.
